Crazy Mixed Up World
by Lingren
Summary: Jack's seemingly minor injury causes him much confusion and leads him into a desperate fight against those he once trusted and called his friends. Rated M for chapter 6
1. Chapter 1

_Well folks here's another of my earlier stories for you to read once again. I've tweaked it hopefully in the right direction, so all you have to do is sit back, read, enjoy and click on that little review button to let me know what you think of it._

_Thanks as always to my loyal readers, and reviewers from my last story. I luv you guys!_

**Crazy Mixed Up world.**

by Lingren.

Category: Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance.

Pairings: Sam/Jack.

Warnings: Confusion and a small glimpse of something sexual, but nothing too graphic. Character Death.

Season: Set in season 4, a few weeks after 'The Curse'.

Spoilers: Minor ones for Fire & Water, Serpent's Lair, Need, Divide & Conquer, Point of No Return, Tangent and The Curse.

Summary: Jack's seemingly minor injury causes him much confusion and leads him into a desperate fight against those he once trusted and called his friends.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1. No copyright infringements are intended. Just borrowing the characters for a little fun and imagination.

**Crazy Mixed Up World. **

by Lingren.

Chapter 1 – The Mother of all Headaches!

"Unscheduled Off-world Activation!"

The blare of the alarms that went with that sudden announcement prompted a hive of activity throughout Stargate Command known to those who worked on the top secret military base as the SGC. Several SF's hurried into the gate-room to take up their protective positions ready for action in case any hostiles managed to get through the Trinium Iris; their first line of defence.

Major General George Hammond hurried down the metal staircase that led from the briefing room to the control room and took his place behind the technician's chair; watching and waiting for confirmation if the incoming travellers were friend or foe.

Master Sergeant Walter Davis swivelled round and looked up at the General, showing a slight relief in knowing it was the SGC's premier team that were returning.

"It's SG-1's IDC sir."

"Open the Iris!" Hammond commanded, and muttered an, "And about time too!" then sighed with relief.

SG-1 were overdue by several hours, and despite the fact that he showed no favouritism at all between the SG teams, SG-1 had evolved into something very unique and now held a special place in his heart; each of its members being more like friends than mere nameless subordinates.

The Trinium leaves of the Iris swirled back to reveal the blue shimmering wormhole; the connection to another world now just a step away. Hammond hurried down the few steps to the gate-room, impatient to hear the reason why his best team were overdue. He knew SG-1 well of course, being late was practically the norm for them with each and every mission, but he couldn't help being worried sick for them too; so many things could have gone wrong out there it didn't bear thinking about. As far as this team were concerned it was more often the case in point.

They usually came in hot, running through the gate, and today it was Major Sam Carter who was the first person through, yelling for a medical team as she did so.

Walter knew the procedure off pat now and hailed the emergency medical team to the gate-room even before Dr. Daniel Jackson, following on Sam's heels, had stumbled through the event horizon limping slightly.

Daniel soon caught his balance and turned, stepping back out of the way in time to see Teal'c arrive. Though Daniel's and now everyone in the gate-room and up in the control rooms' eyes were now firmly fixed on the figure of SG-1's team commander, slumped unconscious but secure in the Jaffa's strong arms.

Daniel and Sam helped Teal'c to lay their CO onto the metal grating, checking his pulse to make sure that he had survived the freezing cold ride home through the artificial wormhole.

General Hammond swallowed the sudden lump of concern stuck in the back of his throat and hurried up the ramp to find out just why his 2IC was obviously out for the count.

Sam pressed a fresh dressing to the bleeding wound on Colonel Jack O'Neill's head, while Daniel ran a quick check on the other minor injuries that his friend had suffered.

Hammond paused for a moment as he took in the damage done to his Second in Command.

The emergency medical team then swept into the room, two of them pushing a gurney in readiness to receive the wounded warrior. Doctor Janet Frasier, the base's Chief Medical Officer hurried over to the little tableau and took command of the situation straight away. The petite fire-ball that had become the terror of the infirmary, quickly but gently pushed both Sam and Daniel away while she assessed the downed officer's condition.

"What happened Major?" Hammond asked, looking directly at Major Sam Carter, needing to know what had caused the Colonel's injuries.

"He fell sir," Sam explained with difficulty. She didn't want to take her eyes off the Colonel but knew she had to keep her personal feelings of distress and worry about her CO hidden away. "Sir, Daniel... On our way back to the gate, the ground underneath Daniel suddenly gave way and he fell down into a hole about six feet deep. The Colonel turned back when he heard Daniel's yelp, ready to rescue him when the ground under his feet opened up too. The hole was much deeper though, and he fell about 15 feet down sir. By then, Daniel had managed to climb out of his hole but the Colonel must have hit his head on the rocky ground below him sir. We checked him over, and got him back here as soon as we could sir."

Hammond had manoeuvred Sam off the ramp and out of the way of the medical team as they lifted the limp form of the Colonel and moved him onto the waiting gurney, ready to take him to the infirmary for a full medical examination to determine the extent of his injuries.

"Doctor Frasier?" Hammond asked, not needing to voice the rest of the question. She understood his need to know how Jack was doing.

"Concussion is most likely the cause of his continued loss of consciousness sir rather than from anything else. I can't feel any fractures to his skull. There's a lot of bruising as well as several other minor cuts and scrapes. But I'll know more when we have some test results in sir."

Hammond nodded.

"Very well Doctor, I'll be waiting for your report."

Janet nodded, acknowledging her duty and hurried after her team, ordering a CAT scan among others for the injured officer as she went.

Seeing blood caked on the hands of both Daniel and the Major, Hammond dismissed them to the showers and ordered a standard medical exam and then the debriefing in two hours, and to make sure Dr. Jackson had his leg seen by Dr. Frasier or one of her staff too.

Hammond watched them leave, Teal'c walking sedately behind them, still protecting their sixes. Hammond's smile was more of a grimace at the turn of events, knowing that Teal'c took his position seriously and despite his outward appearance was just as concerned about the disastrous outcome of this mission as were his team-mates.

Hammond mentally shook himself and walked back to his office, his thought's staying focused on Jack, hoping that the rather irreverent and often frustrating Colonel would be okay. Jack O'Neill may frequently be a pain in the ass, but he was a well respected officer and one of the best and most loyal 2IC's he'd ever had the privilege to work with.

OoOoOoOoO

When Sam, Daniel and Teal'c entered the infirmary after the de-briefing they saw that Jack was either still unconscious or sleeping. Worry immediately furrowed their brows with deep lines.

Janet, sitting in her office adding yet another injury to the growing list on Jack O'Neill's notes, spotted them before they could approach the bed and headed them off to a quiet corner just outside the room.

"He's sleeping, and I don't want him woken up just yet."

"Is he okay?" Sam demanded anxiously, chewing on her bottom lip from concern.

"He'll be just fine in a few days. He woke up a little disoriented earlier, and right now he's complained about having the mother of all headaches, which is hardly surprising. I've just managed to get him to rest at last. His knees are sore and his ribs are hurting too, and take it from me, he is so not at all a happy camper."

Daniel and Sam couldn't help but grin with a well understood empathy, knowing full well how annoyed Jack would have been when he'd woken up and found himself in the infirmary yet again. Which all meant, that he was most definitely okay and that there couldn't be anything drastically wrong with him if he'd been grouching already.

Sam glanced over at the bed, not particularly liking the pasty colour of the Colonel's face. A stark white dressing now covered the deep gash on the left side of his head and his left arm was encased in heavy strapping.

"He broke his arm?" Sam gasped when realising the implications. Why hadn't she noticed this when she'd assessed his injuries straight after the fall?

"No, it's not broken, but he does have a badly sprained his wrist. It was quite swollen by the time we'd reached here, so I've strapped it up for now. You couldn't have known Sam. Other than that he has quite a severe concussion, though, surprisingly, nothing appears to be broken. He was plenty of cuts and bruises too. Don't worry guys! He'll be just fine in about a week or two," Janet assured them.

Sam wanted so much to go and sit with him, but Janet had forbidden anyone entry to her domain for the time being, so there was nothing left for her to do, than to go and grab a bite to eat – not that she really felt hungry – and then go to bed and try to get some sleep, but she also doubted that would happen either.

TBC


	2. A Little UST for Lunch, Sir?

_Thanks as always my friends for your reviews…keep them coming. I love to read you comments as they help spur me on to write more._

**Crazy Mixed Up world.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Sam wanted so much to go and sit with him, but Janet had forbidden anyone entry to her domain for the time being, so there was nothing left for her to do, than to go and grab a bite to eat – not that she really felt hungry – and then go to bed and try to get some sleep, but she also doubted that would happen either.

Chapter 2 – A Little UST for Lunch, Sir?

Although Janet was still a little concerned over the fact that Jack's recovery was slower than usual for him, she had allowed him to go home and recuperate there for the rest of the week. Jack was clearly frustrated by his inability to heal fast enough for his liking, despite Janet's reassurance that it would given time and plenty of rest.

Which was all that Jack seemed to be able to manage at the moment. It wasn't through lack of trying to fill his time by pottering about the house or yard – he really didn't have much of a choice. Each time he'd gotten bored, he'd attempted to occupy his mind, but that set off another of those, nail-in-the-head type headaches and he was forced to take one of Janet's magic pills and rest. Which was what he was doing right that minute when he heard a car pull up outside on his drive.

His smile broadened as the figure of Sam Carter appeared round the corner of his house, her own smile lighting her face when she caught sight of him relaxing.

"Hi!" she greeted him, walking straight up to where he was sitting. "I thought you might be out here sir."

"Yeah. Too nice to be sitting around indoors," he commented with a smile of his own as he looked up at her.

"Kinda makes you want to drop all the work and head for the beach," She sighed, raising her face up to catch the sun full on and loving the feel of the warmth of early fall. Being underground for the majority of her time she could appreciate the fresh air and sunshine.

Jack sat fascinated by her glowing features, feeling the stirrings of his abiding love for her awaken within him once more. She looked absolutely radiant in the golden light as the sun bounced off her blonde hair, making it shimmer like pure gold. With more effort than ever he'd had before, he clamped his errant thoughts down, and with even greater difficulty concentrated on the paper bag clutched in her hand. Those sort of thoughts would only lead him into trouble, so he recited the frat regulations to himself yet again, hoping it would be enough to settle his awakening libido down.

"So, watchya got in the bag, Carter?" His voice came out rather strained but if Sam noticed it at all she didn't let it show.

She brought her attention back to her CO as he sat on his deck. He actually looked good; better than she had seen in the several days since they had gated home. His skin was tanned and she could see his muscular torso through his thin cotton shirt. He was still lean, but lithe, and though his face was still a little pale he looked good enough to eat and she had to stamp down on those feelings quickly. Reluctantly dragging her thoughts away from him, she held out the bag towards her senior officer.

"I've brought you some lunch sir." Her smile was just a little on the shy side but it warmed Jack's heart to know she had thought of him here on his own.

"You didn't have to Carter. I'm not an invalid, just concussed."

"I know sir. I just thought it would save you..." she floundered for a moment under his curious gaze. She wondered what he would say if she'd said it was 'any old excuse just to see you again'?

"Sweet!" he said, taking the bag from her warm fingers and opening it to see what she'd brought him. "Hey, this is nice Carter," he beamed, pulling out the fresh chicken salad sandwich.

Sam sat herself down on the chair opposite him and watched as his face broke into a another one of those smiles that set her pulse racing again. Obviously she had made the right choice of food for him. He took a mouthful and she could tell he was enjoying it, when he stopped, swallowing quickly as he looked over at her.

"Where's yours?" he asked, noticing her lack of anything resembling food in her hands.

"I...I left mine in the car sir. I'll have it later."

"You're not gonna join me?" he asked, his voice bordering on disappointment that she might not be staying.

"I...I didn't...think..."

Jack replaced his half eaten sandwich back into the back and struggled to get to his feet. His wrist was still giving him problems and his knee too. Janet only discovered that he'd hurt it again, after he'd woken up because there was nothing on any of the X-rays to say otherwise.

"I'll put some coffee on...or would you rather have a beer?"

"Coffee's fine sir. Thanks." Sam felt awkward, watching him limp to the patio door. He stopped and turned back towards her.

"Go. Get your lunch, Carter. My yard is as good a place to eat it as any picnic area. I won't mind you sharing it for a few minutes."

"Yes sir." Sam stood with a broad smile and then hurried away to fetch her own sandwich as well as an apple she'd chosen for herself.

Jack watched her go and shook his head slowly before making his way to the kitchen. He staggered a little as he'd turned and cursed the fact that his head still hurt and he was still suffering from the damn irritating dizzy spells. He shook off the slight nauseous sensation that always went with these little episodes and concentrated on getting their drinks without falling on his ass and embarrassing himself in the process. There was always that niggling little voice in the back of his head telling him that he should be over this by now, and why wasn't he better yet? He pushed away the doubts that assailed him and concentrated on getting the coffee from the shelf and into the mugs.

Coffee now made, he returned to the door to see her already sitting at the patio table, her lunch in front of her while she gazed absently around his yard.

"Ah. There ya go Carter," he said, placing her mug down on the lacquered wooden surface with extra care so he didn't spill any of it.

"You're not having any sir?" she felt guilty for making him work when he should have been resting.

"Yeah. I can't..." he held up his strapped up wrist to remind her of his injured wrist.

She jumped up all apologetic.

"I'm so sorry sir. I'll go get it for you."

"Ack!" he stopped her right there by holding his bandaged arm up to prevent her from moving. "I can manage it. I need to get my damn pills anyway." She stood, hovering between doing as he'd asked or retrieving his coffee anyway; until he anticipated her thoughts. "Sit!" he said pointing to her chair. He might be under the doctor's orders, but he was still her CO dammit.

She hesitated still looking worried.

"That's an order Carter," he said, but the twinkle in his eye took the sting out of his harsh sounding words.

"Yes sir."

She sat obediently, feeling unaccountably guilty, sort of adrift and out of place. Suddenly she wondered if this was such a good idea after all, coming here on her own, and now wished that she had invited Daniel and Teal'c to join them too.

Minutes later Jack returned with his coffee and took his seat again.

"So," he began after a tense silence which had them wondering what to say to each other. "Whatchya been doing while I've been sittin' around on my butt all day?"

Thank god for small mercies, her mind whispered, at last something normal and neutral to talk about.

"Well, SG-6 came back with some interesting artefacts a couple of days ago. I've been trying to discover exactly what they do, and Daniel's having a problem translating some of the writing on any of them, but on the whole, it's been pretty quiet sir."

"Ah...what you really mean is, it's quiet without me there to distract you, right?" he smirked around another bite of his lunch.

She coloured up slightly but grinned back, relaxing a little more.

"I didn't say that sir," she responded when she'd swallowed her mouthful.

"Not in so many words at least, Carter. I bet Daniel hasn't slept at all since he's had a few new toys to play with."

Her lack of response and a blush was an answer in itself. Jack didn't know whether to laugh, that he was right, or be annoyed because he wasn't there to make sure they were eating and resting properly.

"Why didn't you drag him out here. At least you coulda made sure he ate something."

"Teal'c was going to drag him off to the commissary when I left sir," she countered, feeling a little guilty at his gruff tone.

"Good for him!"

An awkward silence fell over them once again as they concentrated on eating their lunch, the air around them crackling with pent up tension.

Tension that had been there since they had first met; since that memorable moment in the briefing room when she'd challenged him to an arm wrestle. Over the years that slipped by his admiration for her had turned to love, but he could never pinpoint the exact time when things had changed; it just happened.

Apparently she'd felt it too, but they had both volunteered to uphold the regulations between them, so with great difficulty they had tried to ignore their innermost feelings. However, the strain to never overstep those hard and fast rules of fraternisation remained, hovering over them like the sword of Damocles whenever they were in close proximity to each other.

Sam couldn't help herself, and raised her blue eyes to glance at him over the rim of her coffee cup but felt herself blush when she saw him eyeing her over the top of his cup too. She swallowed hard, feeling the heated flush of desire as it swept right through her. She quickly drained the too hot liquid, biting back the sensation of it burning her tongue and throat as it went down, and then hastily swallowed the last bite of her sandwich.

Jack watched her with regret for his actions as she stood up suddenly, awkwardly gathering her cup and trash and making a hasty exit towards his kitchen. When she reappeared she skirted round him obviously trying to make a quick getaway.

"Gotta go sir. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, excusing herself.

"So soon Carter? Am I not as interesting as that exciting new doohickey?" he joked, trying to swallow down his disappointment.

Sam flushed again, but managed to smile back. Then, with an innocent look plastered onto her face, she gave a little wave, taking a few more steps towards the driveway. Her shy smile turning positively saucy.

"That's why I'm going sir. Bye!"

Jack could feel that telltale flush of heat and longing wash over him too and closed his eyes in denial. Some day, he vowed; one day they would be together.

Seeing the effect her words had on him, Sam grinned to herself as she hurried round the house and slid into her car, driving off and hoping that she had calmed down by the time she'd reached the SGC.

The rest of his lunch now forgotten, Jack rose unsteadily from the chair and stepped down onto the lawn, ignoring the dizzying effects for a moment, he took several long strides across the yard, while he schooled his brain into calming his wayward thoughts. Thoughts he shouldn't be having. Thoughts that he had so carefully hidden away but were now demanding to be heard.

He realised that Sam was obviously still very much attracted to him, and was so sure that there was certainly a high amount of sexual tension in the air between them as they ate. Their situation was damned intolerable, and he wanted so much to be able to solve the state of affairs that existed to keep them as far apart as possible. Should he just bite the bullet and ask for retirement...?

So wrapped up in his chaotic thoughts was he, that he failed to notice anything amiss until it was too late. There was a bright light flashing behind his retinas and although he couldn't comprehend what was happening, he saw the colours of the greenery in the yard blend together with the blue from the sky, and swirl away from him.

Overcome with an unstoppable dizzy spell he crumpled to the ground. His senses quickly overwhelmed, and with his vision greying out, he fell headlong into the darkness of oblivion.

TBC


	3. Oh, If I Only Had A Brain

_Well, here's another chapter for you to puzzle over – no cliff-hanger this time though. Thanks as always for your comments they are so welcome. So make me work quicker and encourage me by clicking that little button at the foot of the page... Pretty please?_

**Crazy Mixed Up world.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Overcome with an unstoppable dizzy spell he crumpled to the ground. His senses quickly overwhelmed, and with his vision greying out, he fell headlong into the darkness of oblivion.

Chapter 3 – "Oh, If I Only Had A Brain..."

Beep...beep...beep...beep...

Jack heard the soft muted but steady beeps of the heart monitor long before he could open his eyes and acknowledge that he was waking up.

He lay there quietly listening to the growing number of sounds that surrounded him through the haze of what he uncomfortably realised was a drug induced sleep.

Crap! Why was he in the infirmary once again? How did he get here? Because if he remembered rightly, he'd been in his yard. So, what the hell had happened now? His brow creased in concentration around the fuzz inside his head and vaguely recalled getting so dizzy that he must have passed out.

"Colonel?" a familiar voice softly called him, waking him further.

"Doc!" he muttered through his dry lips, recognising it was her voice.

He tried licking away the dryness and then felt the plastic straw touch the side of his mouth and he latched onto it sucking greedily at the cool liquid, and opening his eyes as he did so.

"Welcome Back Colonel!" Doctor Janet Frasier greeted him with a tentative smile. He returned the gesture with a nod of acknowledgement.

"What happened to me Doc?"

Janet Fraiser looked somewhat abashed, but she held his gaze as she explained everything to him.

"You appear to have had a bleed sir. I'm sorry Colonel, I should have picked it up straight away but I missed it." She shook her head in regret, looking utterly miserable that Jack easily forgave her.

"But I'm okay now right?" he had to ask, needing confirmation that there hadn't been any damage to what little number of brain cells he'd been allotted at his conception.

"Yes sir, eventually, but you won't be fit to return to full duty for several weeks sir. You'll have recurring headaches, and maybe nausea and dizziness still, but they will go away with the medication I'm going to prescribe."

Jack closed his eyes and cringed at the thought of staying idle for so long. It was a guarantee that he wouldn't be allowed to leave Colorado Springs for some time, so his cabin was out for a start. There was no way Janet was going to agree to him being so far away from her care. With no other choice open to him, he at last nodded in agreement to her treatment.

"I was at home, when..." Jack didn't need to finish the question; Janet understood perfectly.

"It was Daniel who found you Colonel. You'd collapsed in your back yard sir."

"Yeah. How...long?" he asked, waving his strapped up hand around to denote the infirmary.

"A week sir. Eight days to be precise! Daniel had dropped by your house after he left here that night to see how you were He found you slumped over and called the base right away."

"A week?" he gasped in confusion. "Why so long?"

"As I explained sir, there was some swelling to your brain and it caused one of the blood vessels to leak a little. You passed out and had fallen into a coma Colonel."

"Crap! I can't believe it's been that long."

"As far as the scans are concerned Colonel, medically speaking you still have a lot of recovering to do, but you will be okay. You might experience a little amnesia. You may not recall certain places, people or things, but that's to be expected." He looked worried and his dark eyes met head on with hers, but she smiled confidently. " Don't worry sir, you'll be fine," she beamed. "Your memory will come back, so don't you worry about it."

"Really? You're not kiddin' me?"

"You're doing fine now, sir. I ran all the usual tests and they've all come back clean. Give it another week and you'll be feeling like your old self again. I'd like to keep an eye on you. Daily to start with, then if that proves my theory, I may be able to sign you back to work again the following Monday."

"So I can go home?"

"In a couple of days sir, all being well. I want you to rest here for the next 24 hours at least."

"But you just said I was okay!" he whinged.

"Another day Colonel!" she said as she turned away and began to walk towards her office. "Or I will add another 24 hours..."

"Don't I get any dinner? By my reckoning I missed more than a couple of meals ya know!"

"I'm onto it. Good-bye Colonel," she called over her shoulder without turning back or stopping on her way out of the door.

Jack grumbled to himself and pulled himself upright, but had to grip onto the bed rails for balance when the world around him tilted alarmingly for a moment.

"Crap!" he cursed, resigning himself to his fate. Staying another night or two in the infirmary would have to suffice, he guessed.

Fifteen minutes later his meal arrived and he tucked into it like a starving man, despite the complaints he kept uttering about how bad it tasted. He was hungry; he hadn't eaten since...whenever, more than a week ago, for cryin' out loud! And he never did get to finish the lunch that Carter had brought him.

OoOoOoOoO

"Jack!"

The excited cry came from the doorway and startled Jack from the light doze he was drifting into after his meal.

"Daniel!" he responded quietly, slightly puzzled as to why his friend should look so damn excited to see him awake again.

Daniel practically sprinted into the room and almost skidded to a halt at the side of the bed. He grabbed Jack's hand as if to reassure himself that his friend was really still alive and present. His piercing blue eyes were fixed firmly onto him which made Jack feel rather uncomfortable.

"God Jack!" he whispered again as if he couldn't believe his own eyes. "It's really you."

Jack looked puzzled, and slightly startled at this statement and wondered if he really had suffered brain damage after all.

"Daniel...have you been drinking?" Jack asked, wondering why his friend was looking at him like that. He extracted his hand with a frown, almost backing away.

"What?" Daniel asked with a puzzled frown. "Jack?"

"Boozing?"

"No!" Daniel denied adamantly, folding his arms across his chest in typical fashion.

"Then why are you looking at me like you've not seen me in years?"

Daniel blinked at last and blushed, moving his hand automatically to push his glasses back up his nose.

"Sorry. It's just...never mind. So...how are you feeling?"

"Fine. A little headache maybe but Doc says I can get outta here in a coupla days," he answered carefully.

"That's great..."

Before Daniel could finish, there was another cry that rent the air as Sam now appeared.

"Jack!" Sam all but shrieked, making him cringe when it notched up his headache which seemed to be growing exponentially with each appearance of the members of his team.

"God. Jack," she whispered when she'd approached his bed, her blue eyes wide and adoring.

"Excuse me?" Jack gaped at her. Did he miss another memo? "Jack?" Jack asked, his brows doing a good imitation of Teal'c's, climbing an all time high. He was beginning to think that perhaps he'd suffered from something far worse than a blow to the head. This was just getting to be a little too spooky, even for him.

"Sorry. Colonel." She muttered, flashing him a wide toothy grin which almost had him humming the theme from 'The Twilight Zone'. "I forgot we're on base, but it's just...it's so good to see you looking so much better." She was practically jumping up and down with suppressed excitement.

"Thank you. I'm fine." He drawled, unsure of...well, whatever it was he hadn't been able to tie it down as yet.

"That's great..." she tapered off looking at him with awe in her bright blue eyes, and then suddenly they were awash with unshed tears. She sniffed back the sob that threatened to break loose and blinked rapidly.

Jack looked at her suspiciously.

"What's goin' on?" he asked. Something was up and he wanted an answer. Pretty Damn Quick!

"Colonel?" Sam sniffed again and wiped her eyes quickly.

"What?" Daniel looked even more confused or was he hiding something?

"You two are seriously giving me the creeps here. Something's goin' on? Spill!"

"Why, there's nothing going on sir. We were just...so worried about you, weren't we Daniel?"

"Yeah. Really worried," he agreed readily. "Very worried actually."

"O'Neill!" Teal'c's deep voice rumbled from the doorway and Jack sighed feeling out of depth when he could see his friendly Jaffa Warrior grinning widely too. Okay! So, now it was official - he was seriously getting spooked.

Teal'c approached the bed in a couple of strides, his wide smile ever present, which, Jack had to admit, was, in itself, unusual to say the least.

"It is good to see you well once again my friend!"

"I wasn't gone that long Teal'c," Jack sighed in exasperation. Anyone would think he'd been raised from the dead, the way they were carrying on!

"Perhaps not, but it did appear to be so," Teal'c answered, confusing Jack even more.

Teal'c's smile continued, and all three of his team-mates kept their eyes on him and their faces fixed in a perpetual grin. Through it all, Jack was growing more suspicious with every passing minute.

He threw his hands into the air, releasing some of the tension inside him.

"Okay! Now would someone mind filling me in on what the hell is going on here!" Jack cried. "Anyone would think I just died and came back again!"

His team-mates suddenly dropped their gazes and smiles, and seemed a little embarrassed by his little outburst.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence and their faces grew troubled.

"We're sorry sir," Sam spoke at last under his determined glare. "We're just so...so relieved that you're going to be okay. It was a bit of a shock when Daniel found you like that."

"You sure that's all this is?" Jack was still suspicious, but accepted that he had probably scared the crap out of them.

"Yes sir!"

"We were indeed...worried O'Neill."

"Thanks kids" he sighed, feeling unaccountably tired now, after their weird behaviour. "But, look, I'm fine, so you can stop worrying okay? And please...just stop smiling at me like that! You're really creeping me out here."

Their smiles relaxed and he laid back into the pillows, desperately seeking some peace and quiet. Where the hell was Janet when you needed her?

"How about you guys go...do whatever..." he yawned gesturing that they take their leave. He closed his eyes, already half asleep. "I gotta get some serious shut eye." Which was odd really when he thought about it, seeing as how he'd not long woken up after sleeping for what...a month?

"Yes sir."

"Okay Jack, you rest. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Hmm," Jack murmured reluctant to answer with more than a grunt in acknowledgement of their acceptance to follow his order...at last, he was just too tired.

"Goodnight O'Neill."

"Night…" he whispered and fell into a deep sleep, wondering if Janet had something to do with the fact that he was so tired because he just couldn't stay awake any longer.

TBC


	4. Stranger Things Happen at Sea

_Thank you so much for all your lovely comments. I hope you like this chapter just as much. I have to warn you though that the mystery will continue for a few more chapters yet before I explain what was going on. Hope you stay with me until then, because then it will all make so much more sense._

**Crazy Mixed Up world.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

"Night…" he whispered and fell into a deep sleep, wondering if Janet had something to do with the fact that he was so tired because he just couldn't stay awake any longer.

Chapter 4 – Stranger Things Happen at Sea

Jack knew full well that the grapevine inside the mountain was a thriving living monstrous organism, but his apparent 'resurrection' had surpassed everything he'd ever heard or expected from it.

Dressed now in his olive green BDU's he was making his way to the commissary for some breakfast as soon as Janet had dismissed him from her infirmary - when every few yards he'd been accosted by all manner of SGC personnel, and enthusiastically welcomed back. He shrugged off the nagging feeling that he was walking over his own grave, deciding to concentrate on getting some food. Maybe he was just hungry; but then, maybe he had done some really serious damage when he'd fallen down that damn hole.

Only time would tell of course; Doc had found nothing physically wrong with him now. His brain, like anybody else's would only take so many concussions, he knew, before the damage altered normal memory and brain functions. A clear example of this would be those who boxed for a living, he thought; a few of them have developed some serious problems after so many punches and knockouts. Wouldn't he be just as vulnerable too with all the times he'd been rendered unconscious by a blow to his head? He was sure something like this was affecting him now, but how many more times could he put himself at risk if this was so?

He continued on his way, sighing in frustration after many more greetings of a similar surprising nature, and he was relieved when he reached the dining hall and joined his colleagues at their table, ready to fall on his oatmeal like a starving man.

"Hi Jack. You wouldn't be hungry by any chance would you?" Daniel greeted him with a wide grin, making Sam giggle.

Jack looked up from the spoonful of food and saw Daniel's smile. His eyes drifted towards Sam, who was also still laughing. So too was...Teal'c?

He dropped his spoon back into the bowl noisily, and sat back releasing a sigh, and sagging in frustration.

"Actually...no! Not any more at any rate," he grouched, pushing the bowl away with a grimace.

"Why? What's wrong sir?" Sam's expression changed in a heartbeat to one of concern.

"Everything!" Jack said snidely. "You kids for a start. Will you just quit grinning at me like a bunch of...of hyenas! As I said, it's not like I've been resurrected from the dead or something. I'm getting... those 'creepy' smiles from just about everyone around here. What the hell's goin' on?" He was growing more and more irritable at the way people were looking at him as if he'd grown another head or something. It was like he'd been away for months instead of just unconscious for a week or so.

Maybe that was the answer, he suddenly wondered. Perhaps he had died after all. Then, if that was so, why were they trying to hide that fact from him? Had he been in one of those comas for months, weeks, instead of days? But, then why hadn't Doc Frasier told him the truth? The hairs on the back of neck prickled and he lifted his hand to rub the suspicious feelings away.

He stood up and glared down at his friends' faces. All of them looked...afraid? Or maybe it was because he was the one who was acting weird and freaking them out? Whatever it was, he was determined to find out what had been going on around here while he'd been out of it.

"Ill see ya later kids. I have...things to do!" he growled, unaccountably annoyed with them over it. With that, he left them to talk amongst themselves, striding angrily from the room.

"Do you think we pushed him too far?" Daniel asked, watching his friend retreat through the doors, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sam and Teal'c reluctantly had to agree, and vowed not to let their delight in having him back again show too much in future. They could tell it was seriously scaring the man.

OoOoOoOoO

"Come!"

On that order Jack opened the door to General Hammond's office and stuck his head round it.

"General," he greeted his superior. "Got a minute sir?"

"For you Jack, sure," Hammond beamed, obviously delighted to see him too.

Jack felt his irritation rise ever higher at the radiant smile on the General's face. It was exactly the same one he'd seen on his team and everyone else he'd happened to meet this morning. What the hell was wrong with everyone? He didn't garner this much happiness on a good day normally; not even when he and Teal'c had survived that one way trip into the cold of space in that retro-death glider.

"Take a seat Jack!" Hammond said still smiling. "It's good to see you looking well again son. How's the wrist?"

"It's fine now thank you sir. I think!" Jack replied dubiously. Yeah, the wrist is okay, just not so sure I am, he muttered under his breath, as he settled into the chair.

"So, what can I do for you son?"

Jack pulled himself upright in the chair and commenced battle, jumping in with both feet.

"For a start you could clue me in on the truth of what's going on here General."

"I beg your pardon?" Hammond looked taken aback to say the least.

"Sir." Jack paused, trying to put his thoughts into as few words as possible, and in a way that Hammond would understand. "I like to think that after all these years of working together that we can be perfectly honest with each other. I know I can be a royal pain in the ass sometimes, but I do try to do my best for the good of the USAF, my country and the Earth as it comes to that. But…!"

"But?" Hammond waited when Jack put up a hand to stall his question.

"I can't help but feel that something is seriously amiss here. I'm...missing something here, I'm sure, but nobody is telling me just what that is. Is there something going on that you really should share with me General?"

"Jack. Jack. There is nothing wrong here; everything is just fine and dandy. Nobody is trying to hide anything from you at all, believe me, I would be the first one to notice if things were amiss. What exactly is it that makes you think that something is wrong?"

"Well, for a start, it's the way everyone has gone all out to welcome me back as if I've been away for months...years maybe; they're all grinning at me like Cheshire cats. Like they know something I don't! It's almost as if I'd died and have been raised from the dead again! I didn't get this much attention even when I returned from Edora after three months, for cryin' out loud! I've only been out of it for what...a coupla weeks! Haven't I? I was kinda hoping that you could at least clue me in sir."

By now Jack was getting antsy and had risen from his chair to stalk around the room, waving his hands about to emphasise his anxiety over everything since that damn fall. He quietened down, pressing his lips together into a tight line and shoved his hands deep into his pockets, turning to look at the General; desperate to see if there was any guilt lurking behind those grey eyes of his.

"Please General. I need to know. I want to know if I've seriously lost it here? There's no way I could go back out there with this hanging over me."

Hammond sighed with exaggerated forbearance and looked Jack straight in the eye.

"Jack. There is nothing behind any of this. People here admire and look up to you, and everyone of us were genuinely worried about you this time round. Edora was totally different. We all believed you were just stranded; and nobody wanted to believe you could be dead back then. We got used to you being 'away' at that time. This however; this was far too close to home. We honestly didn't know if you'd come out of this little mishap with your brain intact. And as far as we were concerned if the worst had come to pass this world would have been a choice picking for any enemy waiting out there. The people here Jack look upon you as a hero figure. You've come so close to giving your life to save this world on numerous occasions. They're just more than happy to see you alive and well, and will be even happier once you're back in the saddle again."

Hammond paused to get up from his chair and came round the desk towards Jack who had slumped back into the chair, feeling every bit guilty, and somewhat uncomfortable from hearing such acclaim from the General. Hammond laid a hand on his 2IC's shoulder and patted him reassuringly.

"We're not hiding anything from you Jack, honestly. Look, why don't I arrange a little session with Dr. MacKenzie..."

"Ack! No sir." Jack backed away as far as he could from his position, hands up as if to physically push Hammond's idea away. "It's okay, General. If it's all the same with you sir I'd rather not thank you. I don't need any of that psycho stuff. Not in that way. I'll do this my way and on my own terms, thank you."

"You sure?" Hammond asked worriedly. "There's no shame in admitting you need psychological help son."

"Yes sir, I know that, but if it's all the same to you. No way." Jack sighed, wondering if he was doing the right thing. "I'll get through this."

"Don't worry about all of this Jack. Just accept that people here are genuinely pleased to see you're okay. They'll soon get lost in their own work after a while and things will get back to normal."

"Yes sir," Jack answered with a deep sigh. He wasn't altogether enamoured with the idea of people ogling him with creepy smiles for however long it took. "Thank you General, for at least being honest with me."

"Jack. We've worked together for all this time. Surely you don't doubt the trust we've built up over that time, do you?"

"No sir," Jack grimaced, feeling bad for harbouring any suspicions in the first place. Perhaps he was just being paranoid? Maybe he'd hit his head on that rock a little harder than he thought? "Sorry sir."

"Do us a favour Jack. Go home. Take a few days to get over this and I can guarantee that by the time you return here next week everything will be feeling pretty much normal again. Doctor Frasier says she won't sign you fit for light duty until Monday. Tell you what...why don't you go fishing up at that little cabin of yours?"

Jack wanted to do nothing better, but wondered if Janet would let him go that far away. He liked the idea of getting away, relaxing by his pond with a fishing pole and a cool box full of beer, though Janet would most definitely veto that idea straight away. His thoughts conjured up a certain scene, and wondered if Carter would care to join him this time? Though he doubted that too; so far she'd resisted all his invitations.

Hammond sat back down in his chair and picked up the phone.

"Will you have Major Carter come to my office...Yes...right away."

Jack wondered what Hammond was up to – he certainly didn't need a nursemaid, but then having Sam around might be nice if a little awkward too.

Several minutes passed in quiet until Sam knocked on the door and entered the room, taking the proffered seat next to Jack. She smiled broadly at him before they both turned round to face the General.

Hammond had that wide grin, that told Jack that he was about to say something that could only spell disaster for him and for Carter's reputation.

"Now that we have that sorted, I'd like to ask you Colonel if there is something you should be telling me?"

Jack sucked in a sudden breath from shock, wondering how the General had discovered his secret? Had he talked in his sleep during that coma?

"Concerning what sir?" he held his voice steady despite the feeling of doom gnawing at his gut.

"Concerning the two of you, Colonel."

Jack almost choked and shot a look at Sam before clearing his throat.

"Can I take that as a yes? That there is some truth in what I've heard?"

Sam had ducked her head, but she turned her head sideways to look at him and smiled shyly.

"Yes sir." Hammond's smile widened and he nodded, much to Jack's bewilderment. His head twisted round to Sam so fast he heard the bones in his neck crunch and he winced. He stared wide eyed at her unable to believe she'd freely admitted to their undeclared mutual attraction for each other. "I love Jack," she finished boldly, making Jack feel faint.

"That's what I thought." Hammond continued. "Colonel? Do you share these feelings for Major Carter?"

There was nothing left for him to do now than to get it all out in the open. He coughed to clear his sticky throat, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Yes sir I do. I would like to add that I take full responsibility for not reporting my attraction before now and for not splitting us up as I should have done. For what it worth sir, I'm sorry, but I have nothing to hide. Carter and I have never crossed that line sir; nothing...intimate happened between us. I will therefore be submitting my resignation forthwith. Major Carter is needed far more than I am in this command, so I'm willing to step down to save her reputation.

Jack fell silent, his eyes dropping to the floor in shame for his behaviour, but was suddenly shaken from his gloomy thoughts when he was jumped on.

Sam practically threw herself at him, enveloping him in a huge hug while Hammond sat by watching the open display with something akin to a doting parent.

"Jack, while you were in that coma, Major Carter approached me and explained the whole situation between you. I had suspected it, but I knew, being the consummate officers that you are, that neither of you would act on impulse and that both of you have respectively upheld those regulations. So, I had a quiet word or two with the President. In fact he was all for you two getting together, mostly because you and your team have saved this world from so many dangers in the past, it was decided to waver that regulation as a personal reward to you both. So, this is your chance to make whatever you wish for to happen."

Jack was rendered absolutely speechless, and sat there, mouth agape, staring in disbelief at his CO, breathless, feeling like a fish out of water.

"Really?" he managed to croak out through a dry throat.

Jack swallowed harshly; his mouth sandpaper dry. So, who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth? Even if things did seem strange; he guessed everything would slip back into place at some point in time. Right now though, time he was a wasting.

"Jack!" Hammond chastised when Jack still sat there unmoving. "Would I lead you on about something as important as this?"

"Em...No sir. Thank you sir!" Wow! he gasped inwardly, more than stunned but more than pleased to comply with this order. He smiled back at Sam and raised his eyebrows which made her giggle. They both rose and left the room, Jack still reeling while Sam chattered away nineteen to the dozen about her plans for their future.

Although Jack left the office so much happier than he could remember being - and there was a definite spring in his step that wasn't there before - even those spooky smiles weren't bothering him so much anymore. There was still that little niggling doubt in his mind about how odd things were, and he was no clearer now about what was going on than he was when he'd entered that office.

Was it him or did things just not add up properly? Concussions did do funny things to the mind, that he knew for a fact, so he pushed the doubts to the back of his mind and headed for the elevator, eager to plan his future with Major Samantha Carter.

TBC


	5. A New Beginning

_Here's another chapter to confuse you further – maybe! You all know how I love to keep you wondering, and in the dark until the last minute. It's what I do! Thanks as always for your wonderful reviews as always, despite the suspense._

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Was it him or did things just not add up properly? Concussions did do funny things to the mind, that he knew for a fact, so he pushed the doubts to the back of his mind and headed for the elevator, eager to plan his future with Major Samantha Carter.

Chapter 5 – A New Beginning

Once they had reached the elevator, Jack decided that he needed a few minutes to himself to think things over. All these new, surprising and startling developments had knocked him for six and the headache that had been simmering was now threatening to drop him on his butt if he didn't go take one of Janet's little pills to stop it.

"Uh, look, Carter..." he began haltingly, but Sam interrupted him straight away.

"Sam! You can call me Sam now, Jack."

He bit down hard on his bottom lip, trying to come to terms with the changes they had just made regarding their relationship. Not that he didn't want this, he did; it was just a lot to take in right now.

"Sam," he dutifully repeated with a tight smile. "I...uh...need a few moments to...ah..." He waved a hand negligently and shrugged.

"Oh, sure Jack. I'll be in my lab. Waiting for you."

"Yasureyabetcha," he agreed readily if only to stop her from following him.

"You sure you're gonna be okay? You look a bit pale still."

"My head hurts a little," he admitted. If they were to take the next step in their relationship, then there was no way he would hide anything from here. "and I gotta check in with Janet anyway. So, I'll see you later." With that, he left her there and took the stairs, giving himself time to get his mind sorted into some semblance of order. It had been too easy; too quick. As much as he loved Sam, he felt as if he had been cornered and he didn't take too well to being - what he labelled as - pressurized.

OoOoOoOoO

An hour later, once he had time to think, Jack wandered through the familiar maze of grey corridors, making his way towards Sam's lab.

He rounded the doorway and stopped to observe her. She was sitting at her bench hunched over a strange looking gadget and was evidently studying it through the magnifier. He leaned against the door frame nonchalantly, his hands still stuffed in his pockets and his ankles crossed.

He was quite content to wait there until she became aware that she was being watched, and idly wondered how long it would be before that happened. Thinking over things had made his head ache fit to burst, so instead he was willing to accept the changes and for now would just - go with the flow to see where it took him.

Actually it was almost straight away, like she had a sixth sense that warned her that she was being observed. A sort of inbuilt radar that picked up his presence when he was nearby.

She looked up from her work and smiled at him. His heart-rate sped up slightly and his breath hitched in his throat. She really was beautiful and could only stand in awe that she was now his.

"Jack. Hi!" she beamed. "I'm guessing you originally went to see General Hammond about something other than us?"

"How...?" he began, puzzled.

"I know you Colonel Jack O'Neill with two 'L's. Actually, I'd have gone there too if I'd have thought things were a little weird to be for real. That's what you were thinking wasn't it?"

"Ah. Yeah! There's that." He grimaced from his guilt.

He stopped his advance across the room and stood against the bench leaning towards her, a wry smile lighting his features.

She laughed, and his smile morphed into a frown.

"You think you know me that well? And does everyone around here know about...us?" he asked, not at all happy that his hitherto secret desire wasn't so secret after all. For all this time hiding his feelings for her, it seemed uncommonly difficult to drop the act as far as he was concerned, but strangely not for her. Which again made him question his sanity.

"I guessed, going by the way you've been acting a bit off. And as for the other thing, well, that's purely between you, me, and the General, Jack."

"A threesome huh?" he quipped.

Sam sniggered, playfully swatting his arm.

"Not unless you've been hiding something from me all this time Jack," she retorted, batting her eyelids at him.

His own eyebrows shot up in surprise, but then his lips twisted in amusement, but he changed the subject quickly.

"Carter!" he warned, attempting to be stern but she saw straight through him.

"Sam," she countered once again with a grin.

"Yes, well. Okay. Sooo, um...you wanna join me on a little fishing trip? I have some down time while I get my head on straight."

"You know I'd love to Jack."

"Wouldn't you rather play with your doohickies?"

"I have something better to 'play' with, so..."

"Excellent!" he said with a smile, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction, despite the pain it caused when he forgot about his damaged wrist. Under what he would assume was normal circumstances, he wouldn't have believed she'd accept his invitation so readily or for what she obviously had in mind. Not that he'd actually asked her properly before, she'd sort of taken that for granted. Yet here she was practically dancing up and down at the idea of going.

"Daniel?" she asked tentatively.

"Nope."

"Teal'c?"

"Not this time."

"So just us?" She looked so hopeful it had him pushing the doubts away even further. He was certainly not going to look this gift horse in the mouth. He quite liked the way things were finally going his way.

"You want an escort?" he asked in disbelief.

"No! No I don't think we need one."

"Nervous?" he asked, because he sure was.

"Terrified!"

"Me too!" he confessed.

"Really?"

He nodded with a wry smile and a quirk of his eyebrows. It wasn't everyday that he felt he'd hit the jackpot. Things were finally looking up.

"I'll...um...pick you up early tomorrow morning, around 05.30 hrs? It's a long drive," he explained unnecessarily.

"Yes it is. Can you drive with that?" she asked, pointing to his injured wrist and then his head.

"It's fine. I can manage, and we could always share the driving. So, I'll em...see you tomorrow then. Early!"

"Sure. I'll be ready and waiting."

He swayed back and forth onto his heels and toes unsure what to say next.

"I'll see you tomorrow...Jack!"

"Right! I'll leave you to it then Cart...er...Sam. Bye!"

"Bye."

He turned to leave feeling a little dejected at her dismissal.

"Jack!" she called after him and he turned in the doorway to look back at her, his eyes full of hope.

"Yeah?"

"Take care!"

He grinned widely in answer to her gentle smile, her bright blue eyes full of love for him and he nodded back, feeling relieved.

"You too!" He meant it too, and the one thing he really wanted to do was kiss her, but he thought better of it while they were at the SGC. Couldn't mix business with pleasure.

Sam watched him go and waited for a few moments before turning back to her work with a contented sigh. All her wishes were coming true.

OoOoOoOoO

Jack wrestled with his thoughts all the way to Sam's house the next morning.

On the one hand, he liked...no, loved the way things were going, though he was pretty sure he would remember the real events soon enough. He felt sure he was only dreaming all this and that he would wake up and find himself in the infirmary or at home in bed. There was still a gap in his memory which continued to bug him. It wasn't the sort of memory loss he'd expected; it was mainly because of the way things were going; things seemed different. And on the other hand, he had a peculiar feeling that things were not as 'normal' as they should be, and that he was so sure that he was missing something; something big; something terribly important, but couldn't put his finger on just what it could be.

However, all thoughts about the right or wrongness of the situation flew away in a moment when he caught sight of her sitting on her porch steps awaiting his arrival. The early morning sun had burnished her blonde hair to a rich gold. Her smile outshone the glory of the sunrise, and it was purely for him. Her bag was packed and ready beside her and she looked better than great, dressed in tight blue jeans, white sneakers and a white hooded sweatshirt against the chill of the morning air. He knew without a doubt that underneath that shirt she would be wearing a skimpy, clinging T-shirt, and that she would strip off the outer sweater by the time the sun had climbed higher.

She tossed her bag in the back and climbed up beside him, then she leaned over, weaving her hand round the short grey hairs on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. She licked her full lips and then kissed him, running her tongue over his surprised mouth. Before he could get his brain in gear and react to the pressure of her sensuous lips on his, she'd pulled away again, grinning at his startled yet hungry look.

He grinned back like an idiot and was sure he had the silliest of all expressions on his face right then, but he didn't care. She was young and vibrant; full of energy and she was his. He felt old and haggard beside her and wondered, not for the first time, just what the hell she saw in an old war-horse like him? But then, that was just the thing wasn't it? She had chosen him over all the others and he couldn't believe his luck.

"Hi Jack!" she greeted him, actually purring. "You're right on time!"

"Hello Sam," he greeted her in response, loving the sound of her name on his lips. "You know me, I'm never late!"

A corner of her mouth twitched upwards at his comment. She'd obviously recalled at least one or two occasions where he was late for a briefing.

He cast her an old fashioned look, daring her to mention them and she grinned devilishly. He could see her laughing features out of the corner of his eye as he drove down the street, choosing instead to ignore her teasing.

Oh boy, was it going to be one hell of a long ride, and a thoroughly enjoyable one too if the beginning was anything to go by.

"How about when..."

He cut her off.

"Ack! Don't you dare mention that. That wasn't my fault!" he grumbled, wagging a finger at her. He knew what she had been thinking.

She giggled and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Okay. I'm late _sometimes_. So sue me!"

She snuggled up to him and he laid a hand on her thigh for a moment, willing himself to concentrate on his driving.

"I'd rather do something else," she whispered seductively.

Jack wondered why it had suddenly gotten so impossibly warm in the truck, but he was actually loving the way she was behaving, he was seeing her in a whole new light. He hadn't known, or at least he didn't recall, Sam being quite so flirtatious and beguiling before his little mishap, but no matter; he quite liked the idea of his Major being just like this. It's as if they had been liberated. The burden of the regulations on fraternisation could, for them at least, now be forgotten.

After what proved to be a long and exhausting journey in which they shared the driving, Jack finally turned down the private dirt road that led to his cabin, and it signalled the real start of their new and more intimate relationship.

TBC


	6. I Put A Spell On You

_Hi everyone, I hope this site is working properly now. I had all sorts of fun yesterday, as I gather many others did too. Thanks to those of you who managed to get a review sent off – it was much appreciated!_

_**WARNING**__: I've had to up the rating to __**M**__ on this chapter because I'd completely forgotten I'd written this part! LOL! I did mention my memory is terrible...well, it was a long time ago, and there's a whole load of water under that bridge by now!_

**Crazy Mixed Up world.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

After what proved to be a long and exhausting journey in which they shared the driving, Jack finally turned down the private dirt road that led to his cabin, and it signalled the real start of their new and more intimate relationship.

Chapter 6 – I Put A Spell On You...

Having been woken from a sleep by Jack a few minutes ago and told they'd arrived, Sam was now wide awake, eager to catch sight of his little hide-away by the lake as they drove carefully along the rough track. It was the first time she had been here and although she had always regretfully refused to come here with him before she now found her excitement building. They were together and it was under far different circumstances now that they could be here on their own and without feel the guilt of breaking those regulations.

The gravel road meandered round the trees and bushes and Sam wondered just how long it would take to wend its way before she finally got to see the cabin. Then suddenly it was there. Jack stopped the truck, sitting back to watch her face, wanting to see her reactions to her first glimpse of his pride and joy.

Sam didn't really know what to expect. She was sort of thinking along the lines of the old-homesteader's type cabin, rustic, basic and patched together over the years with odd materials. What she saw instead was a neat well constructed wooden building which radiated the care and attention that had been lavished on it over the years. There were flower beds to either side of the porch, and she could make out a wooden swing seat to one side of the door.

Looking at it now, she really should have guessed that it would be like this. His home back in Colorado was always neat and tidy; well, mostly anyway; she'd yet to see it in a mess. It didn't look that much different from his house in the Springs really she thought now. There was a similarity between the two, though this one was smaller.

"My Grandpa helped his father to build it. He passed it down to my Dad and then being the eldest of his sons, I inherited it," he said justifiably proud. He took her hand and squeezed it, and she held onto it in her lap without thinking.

Jack's voice, though softened by recollection, still had the power to startle her from her thoughts. Reluctantly she dragged her eyes back to him and smiled.

"It looks great Jack. I can't wait to see inside." She brought his hand up to her lips and pressed a kiss to his palm.

He grinned back at her as she released him, then he settled round and drove on again to park the truck in the allotted space off to the side of the cabin.

Sam jumped down from the truck and stood there leaning against the heated hood for a moment to take in the whole area. From here, she got her first glimpse of the lake and was surprised by the size of it. She'd really only expected an oversized pond as he'd referred to it; but it was much larger. There was a wooden row boat lying upside down at the water's edge and the little wooden jetty that stretched out from the bank was bigger than she'd expected too. The tree line ran right down to the water's edge in places and several outcroppings of rocks stood with their feet in the flat calm of the water, which reflected their solidarity back at them in its mirror like surface. The rich gold, reds, and yellows of the trees at this time of the year adding to the beauty around her.

The distant air shimmered in a haze and was rife with the twitterings of various birds; their species unseen but their presence tangible; The boom of Loons echoed from the lake's surface, and an occasional splash did indicate that there were fish aplenty to be had in the dark depths. Else why would the wild-life thrive in this secret haven of peace and tranquillity?

It was idyllic. More so than she'd ever expected or imagined. She drank in the sight and closed her eyes to revel in the quiet harmony of nature. No wonder Jack loved it here, asking herself, why the hell she hadn't come here before now.

Just then, Jack came up behind her and laced his arms around her waist, leaning in to kiss the side of her neck. She shivered with delight and leaned back into his embrace; more happy and contented than she'd ever been. Jack was holding her; Jack was kissing her, and they were here; both of them completely alone, and they had a whole three days before they would have to return to Cheyenne mountain and to their duty as officers in the Air Force. Not that that would bother her again.

She sighed with sheer pleasure, revelling in hitherto forbidden thoughts.

"Like it?"

"Oh Jack it's...it's wonderful. So much better than I ever imagined," she whispered reverently.

"Yes, well," he shrugged a little defensively. "I kept telling you guys what it was like but, no-one seemed interested. I kinda gave up askin' after Teal'c complained about the mozzies. He's more of an action guy I guess; was so not his thing to just sit and relax with a rod. That man just doesn't know how to loosen up except when he's doing that whole Kel-no- whatever."

He could feel her smile through the soft tissues of her neck and smiled too; more than pleased with her response to his little heaven here on Earth.

He broke off his embrace to take her by the hand and proceeded to lead her inside.

If she'd been surprised by the outside, then she was even more stunned by the inside. There was nothing rustic about this cabin. The furniture, though old, looked hand made and she was sure it had been done by a professional carpenter.

They entered right into the lounge area. It was large with arched wooden beams to hold up the roof. A solid stone fireplace stood in one wall and had a wooden mantle filled with pictures of Jack with Charlie and some with Sara, as well as others of faces so far unknown to Sam. The sofa was long and could easily accommodate a fully stretched out adult, its intricate patch-worked cushions hand stitched by his Grandma most likely. Everything about the place radiated love and care and told of many a happy day spent within its walls.

A large pine table and chairs stood at one end of the room and led to the kitchen area which had modern units fitted which surprised her again. She hadn't quite expected an old fashioned sink and pump, but near enough.

The sound of something dropping to the floor had her spinning round. Jack had dumped their bags down in the middle of the main room and was watching her take everything in. She hadn't realised he'd gone from her side, let alone fetched their things from the truck.

"Happy?" he enquired, knowing that she was awestruck.

Sam smiled and moved into his welcome arms.

"Very!" she said, snuggling into his warmth. "It's fantastic Jack. I never..."

"I know!" he sighed, revelling in her obvious joy at being there and especially alone with him. He was more than content. He'd been waiting for years to show her just how much he cared for her, and he'd desperately wanted to share this with her too.

"C'mon. I'll show you the bedroom. You can put your things away."

He led her to the guest room and dropped her bag onto the bed. She was surprised when he announced that this was to be her room, and she couldn't help feel more than a little disappointed that she wasn't going to share his bed. Possibly annoyed was nearer to how she felt right then.

He slipped his arms around her and pulled her to him, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Sam. Please, I know you thought we were going to...share the bed, but I want to get to know you properly first. I'm not that kinda guy. I don't jump into bed at the first opportunity that comes along. This is all new to me too. It's been a long time for me, and there's no need to rush this."

"But Jack, we've wanted this for so long. Who's rushing it? I want you! I need you!"

"And I'm here for you too, Sam. But, contrary to popular belief I would like to court you first. There's no rush and we will get there eventually, but I want to enjoy this getting to know you thing first," he said softly, easing her out of her frustration by cupping her cheeks in his palms and looking intently into her eyes. He could see the urgency lurking behind the blue orbs and chewed on his lips, hoping that he'd just ruined his chances.

It was obvious that she was upset over his decision, but he stubbornly resisted the temptation to hop straight into bed. Certain parts of him were showing a definite interest, but he quelled it with thoughts of the all that paperwork waiting for him back at the SGC, needing to focus on anything except his more testosterone fuelled needs. This was one thing he didn't want to rush into. A personal relationship would be very different to a working one and he didn't want to take that next important step, only to realise that it wasn't working out for them.

She nodded and dropped her gaze when he released her face to hug her close.

"There's no need to rush into this Sam. I'll be here for you. Always."

"No! You can't say that Jack," she shot back with a vehemence that surprised him into stepping back. "We...lost...'almost' lost you. Again, I might add. I don't want to go through that again Jack. Never!" she threw herself into his arms and hugged him so tight it almost hurt. He held onto her too while she cried out her distress and released all the tension she'd felt from his latest brush with death. It could have been a hell of a lot worse.

"It's okay. Shhh. I don't want to lose you either Sam. It could have been you that fell down that hole. I don't know what I would have done if that had been the case," he whispered, brushing the hair from her hot tear stained face gently.

"I love you Jack! I need you like the flowers need the rain. I can't live without you any more," she begged, desperate to have him. "I don't want to live without you any longer!" Her hands smoothed circles over his chest, notching up his need when she slipped her hands under his shirt and played with his dark nubs. Her leg curled round his and brought his hips closer, working their magic against him.

Jack closed his eyes and was swept away by the sheer depth and desperation of the need her words and actions had declared.

Then the next thing he knew, they were kissing, and not even thoughts of Maybourne or Kinsey could bring him back from the brink before he tumbled over into the edge; well past the point of no return. Her desperate hunger for him was compelling and urgent, completely overwhelming his senses, and it turned up the heat inside his body.

The kiss that had rapidly deepened into an impulsive passion, quickly drove all thoughts from his head, until he was acting on pure instincts alone and completely under her control. Their tongues clashed and duelled, their hands roamed freely, and yet, still it wasn't close enough for them.

Frantic now to feel her skin against his, he began pulling her shirt off, and she followed his actions with renewed vigour. All those years of yearning, wanting, needing to act against the forbidden feelings, could no longer be denied. Skin itched to be sliding against skin; hands carefully mapped the other's body, seeking closer contact, learning what made the other sigh with need, and locking it into their memories forever.

One thing quickly led naturally to another, moving quickly to the bed. Pants and underwear were shed and tossed aside. Their joining was quick, reckless, ungainly and gauche, but it was the answer to what they both needed. Jack was exhausted, sweating profusely and completely drained.

As far as first times went it wasn't much to boast about, far from it in fact and now it was over, he suddenly felt ashamed of himself for giving in so easily. His reactions had almost been primal and now he felt as if he'd been used, though he couldn't understand how that could have been. He knew that there would be other times, so perhaps he could try and made it better by taking his time, though obviously it hadn't stopped Sam from enjoying herself.

Sam lay curled up against him asleep, tucked under his arm with her head nestling in the hollow of his shoulder. There was an almost predatory smile on her lips, and it made her look smug, almost as if she knew something he didn't. She had fallen asleep quickly, spent, satisfied and sated. Everything which he should be feeling too, but how could he when he was still trying to figure out exactly when and where he had lost control of his body?

TBC


	7. Dead Men Tell No Lies

_Happy to keep you in suspense just for a little while longer – but don't fret too much, the explanation will be coming soon. So I hope you enjoy this chapter too._

_Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews. I was doubtful about getting any because I couldn't even see the story on the latest updates pages, but thanks to your comments I was able to relax again!_

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Sam lay curled up against him asleep, tucked under his arm with her head nestling in the hollow of his shoulder. There was an almost predatory smile on her lips, and it made her look smug, almost as if she knew something he didn't. She had fallen asleep quickly, spent, satisfied and sated. Everything which he should be feeling too, but how could he when he was still trying to figure out exactly when and where he had lost control of his body?

Chapter 7 – Dead Men Tell No Lies

It wasn't that Jack hadn't enjoyed the rush of having Sam right where he wanted at long last, because he really did; but maybe it was because the nagging voice at the back of his mind had kept him on edge, and so putting a dampener on his enjoyment of...things. He'd tried hard to push those thoughts away and go where he'd wanted to for a long time now, but it was harder than he'd imagined. The damn omnipresent headache wasn't helping either.

While Sam had slept like the dead, he'd paid a visit to the bathroom to answer the call of nature, and took out one of Janet's pills to take but then decided he just didn't like the way they made him feel, so he too a couple of Tylenol instead. Janet's pills may take the edge off the pain but his head always felt as if it was stuffed with cotton wool.

Still unable to sleep, he'd spent the next hour trying to sort out exactly how he really felt. He must have dozed at some point because the next thing he knew the room was in total darkness, but he was starving. Trying not to wake Sam he slipped one leg out from under the covers when Sam stirred and stretched languorously, as if she was a cat who was reluctant to leave a warm fire but needed to shift. He gazed down at her, enjoying the sight and the memory of being inside her.

"So much for taking things slow and steady," he whispered with wry amusement, leaning down to nuzzle her ear when she'd woken dreamily, making her part those long lashes to look up to him.

She giggled and purred as she remembered Jack's earlier disinclination to jump her bones, and snuggled up closer to him, relishing the contact when he wrapped his arms around her in response. She was home. This is where she wanted to be and it was everything she had dreamed about and so much more.

Jack stretched and yawned and reluctantly moved away, sliding his feet to the floor where he began to pull on his clothes.

Sam watched him lazily from the comfort of the sheets.

"Want something to eat?" he asked. "I don't know about you but I'm starving here."

Just to prove his point his stomach rumbled and Sam's joined in too.

"Well," he said with a wry grin, "guess that answers that question don't ya think?"

She giggled again and rose slowly, casting him meaningful glances across the bed. Her movements designed to get him aroused again.

Jack took one look and let out a deep sigh.

"Oh God…You're gonna be the death of me. I'm not so young any more Sam. Give me a break huh? Let's get something to eat first before I fade away from starvation."

Sam sniggered again and he laughed. She couldn't be happier than this.

Shaking his head Jack hurried from the room muttering about how he was sooo gonna feel like a hundred years old by the time they returned to work. He'd need another vacation – but without her around - just to get over this vacation.

By the time Sam had showered and dressed she could smell the sweet aroma of coffee and bacon which emanated from the kitchen area to fill the cabin.

She slid her arms around him and kissed his cheek before sitting at the table. He served the bacon and eggs; poured out the coffee and took the seat next to hers. They ate in near silence, each wrapped up in thoughts just enjoying each others company. They didn't need inane words; both were happier than ever before; their new and deeper companionship and abiding love was all that was needed to fill the room.

When they'd cleared away the dishes, Jack took her by the hand and lifted the rug from the back of the couch, then draped it across her shoulders, he then led her out onto the deck, sitting her down on the porch swing, and sat beside her wrapping his arm around her to pull her closer.

Together they sat and watched the moonlight as it filled the darkness of the area with a subtle brightness. A slight breeze sprang up and rippled the surface of the lake, shattering the reflections into a myriad of tiny sparkles.

Sam didn't think she'd seen anything so beautiful in all her life, but maybe that was because she was here and enveloped within Jack's arms and they could allow their once secret love free rein. She nestled closer to him as the coolness of the night reached into her clothing, leeching her warmth. Her desire to snuggle up was something he was quite happy to oblige her with, and drew her into him tighter. With the sky dark, they could study the stars until they it grew too cold to stay outside.

OoOoOoOoO

They fished; walked; chatted over their hopes and dreams.

They lazed around watching the clouds scudding past on the breeze.

They made gentle love every chance they had, like it was their first time ever.

And all too soon it was time to leave.

Sam had drifted through the few days like she was in a heavenly dream and didn't want to wake up.

Jack had never felt so relaxed and was actually saddened that it was time to return to the real world. All through the days though, he still had this nagging feeling that something was somehow amiss. It was all too good to be true, but he just couldn't put his finger on why he felt like that. He gave himself a mental shrug and put the sensation down to the fact that it was because they were together after so long. Things were bound to feel different.

The drive back to Colorado was a little sad and often silent, but at least they could take heart in their new togetherness, and Sam now wanted to move in with Jack as soon as possible, to which Jack was a little unsure, but wanted to see her happy, and that it would be a whole lot easier if they lived together.

OoOoOoOoO

He'd been back at work for a couple of days, and although he still suffered from headaches, he still refused to take Janet's damn pills, preferring to rely on the Tylenol. They were helping to keep it at bay, but at least he found he could think clearer now than he had been able to. He was working in his office when the alarms rang throughout the base, and he leapt up in response, heading towards the control room, wondering who was knocking on the door.

His headache spiked again as the klaxons rang through the hallways as he ran, but Jack ignored the pain and continued to hurry to the control room, meeting up with the rest of his team there. General Hammond joined them a moment later.

"It's the Tok'ra sir," Master Sergeant Davis said as he spied his CO entering the room.

"Open the Iris!" Hammond barked as Jack passed a derogatory comment about Earth's so called allies.

Hammond glared at him, but refrained from commenting on the Colonel's remark. Jack felt suitably chastised under the General's somewhat peeved scrutiny, and winced involuntary when the pain made him feel like his head was about to explode.

Janet had given him some different tablets, when he'd admitted he didn't like the way they affected him, he was to try them out for a few days and he really should try to take one any time soon.

They filed out into the gate-room in time to see two Tok'ra exit the wormhole. Jack had never seen them before, and wondered vaguely where Jacob Carter, alias Selmak, was. It would have been nice for Sam to have seen him again.

Hammond stepped up on the ramp to greet the aliens.

"For'ath, Kalen, it is good to see you again!"

"Likewise General Hammond," the taller of the two replied.

Jack glanced at Sam who was watching the Tok'ra. Feeling his eyes on her and seeing the puzzled frown on Jack's face, she smiled slightly, turning her attention towards him.

In an aside, he asked who the hell they were and how the General knew them.

Her eyes widened a little when she gasped in surprise at his question, denying any knowledge of them, then she bit her lip before answering rather hesitantly.

"It was while you were on Edora Jack!"

"Ah." He understood now, at least he thought he did. His headache was getting worse by the minute and it was difficult to think round it. "You sure? I guess I didn't get that memo either huh?" he commented with a shrug and a smile.

She smiled back, nodding, but Jack's suspicions were roused once again. There was something odd lurking behind her smile but he couldn't work out quite what it was. Her eyes told him that she was lying to him, and he wondered why she would do that to him of all people?

"Probably not," she replied in hushed tones.

"So why didn't Dad come through?" he asked a little louder now, needing more evidence to work on his assumptions that something wasn't adding up.

"Dad?" she asked, looking at him as if he had suddenly grown another head. Her blue eyes filled with sadness and he felt the nagging doubts more than double in strength.

"What?" he asked feeling like he'd just put his foot into it. Whatever 'it' was.

"My Dad died last year Jack. Don't you remember?"

Jack was stunned. Surely he'd seen him not so long ago, so how could he be dead? It had been only a couple of months since Jacob had rescued him and Teal'c from the cold of deep space. Surely it hadn't been a whole year gone from his memory? If that was the case, then why had they lied to him?

No...it couldn't be! Could it? He didn't want to believe what his mind was telling him.

His head really felt as if it was about to burst now, and he felt himself waver on his feet, staggering to the side.

"Jack?" Daniel called out to him.

"Jack?" Sam pleaded unhappily. "What is it?"

"Colonel? What's wrong?"

"O'Neill?"

Sam had a hand on his arm as he felt the world tilt sickeningly. Suddenly Teal'c and Daniel were there, and several hands were gently lowering him to the floor while the room kept on spinning round him. He swallowed against the nausea that suddenly rose up in his throat, unwilling to revisit his breakfast.

His head really hurt. This was wrong. He just knew it.

He could vaguely hear people shouting as the room spun away from him, then there was an eerie silence until darkness blotted out everything.

OoOoOoOoO

"Doc?"

"Ah, so, you've decided to rejoin the living again Colonel. How do you feel?"

Jack groaned. He felt like he'd literally been dropped from a great height...right onto his head.

"Like crap!" he muttered miserably, not sure if he really wanted to join the living just yet. Right now, all he wanted to do was curl up and die.

"That's to be expected sir. I gave you strict instructions to keep taking those tablets Colonel. I don't give out medication for you to ignore my instructions. As a result of your neglect, you had another blackout.

Huh? What? Jack frowned, unable to comprehend her words.

"An...another blackout?" He couldn't think straight...he didn't recall having a blackout before this incident. He just been plagued by the usual nagging headaches.

"Well, you obviously don't remember having them sir. If you continue to have these memory lapses and blackouts Colonel, I'm going to have to call in a specialist. This is beyond my field of expertise."

Jack tried to focus on her face but failed. His eyes shut of their own volition and she patted his arm in response.

"Get some rest sir. I'll be back in a while. Buzz if you need anything." She dimmed the lights on the way out while Jack lay with his eyes closed, silent and brooding, trying to work out just what was happening to him.

Finally before he gave into a much needed sleep, he reached a decision. Once he was released from Janet's care he would need to do some serious investigating; things around here were screwing with his head and he desperately needed to get to the bottom of it.

TBC


	8. Over the Rainbow or Round the Bend?

_I sincerely hope that when I post this you can all see it. I haven't been able to see it on the updated pages at all for the past two days, and I have no idea as to why not._

_A great big thank you to all of you who did get to read it and send me reviews; they were very much appreciated, especially as I felt strangely adrift from not knowing what was going on._

_I'm hoping you'll enjoy this chapter as it will either give you a clue as to what's happening or perhaps deepen the mystery further. Have fun!_

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Finally before he gave into a much needed sleep, he reached a decision. Once he was released from Janet's care he would need to do some serious investigating; things around here were screwing with his head and he desperately needed to get to the bottom of it.

Chapter 8 – Over the Rainbow or Round the Bend?

Sam tilted her head up wanting to look him straight in the eye. Tears were hovering on the ends of her long lashes and she sniffed, keeping them back from the verge of letting them fall.

"Why Jack?" she pleaded, her voice catching on a sob. "Please don't do this!"

Jack felt incredibly guilty about it, he really did, but he needed some time on his own and some space to be able to think things over. He couldn't do that with Sam hovering round him all the time.

"I think it's best for the time being Sam. I need some space for a while, okay? It's all been a little weird lately, and I need to get my head round everything."

"But we're great together; we really are. I don't understand? Janet says you're getting better."

Jack shook his head. He didn't think he was; in fact he thought his memory was getting worse if anything. He had a sneaky suspicion that the tablets Janet was prescribing were having an adverse effect on him but she kept insisting they were actually helping. What he really needed to do was to cut them out altogether, and all the time Sam was under his feet watching his every move, he didn't stand a snowball in Netu's chance of working things out. He had to cut the ties while he could. Then if he was wrong he would have to accept the consequences of what it would mean for the future.

"I'm not so sure," he answered carefully. "I can't think straight anymore. I need some time off..."

"Jack you have to see Janet every day. She needs to assess your condition. Dr, Ramsey will be coming to see you in a few days. Please don't cancel the appointment Jack. We all want you to get over this."

"That's just it Sam!" he snapped, growing angry and annoyed with everything and anything. Ever since that day he'd hardly had any time alone to sit and think things through, and it was finally getting to him. He spun away, his hands clenching into fists from sheer frustration. He swung round to face her once more, trying hard to control his anger. "What the hell is wrong with me? Why have they not told me what's going on? I was fine; yeah, I had a minor bump on the head, but that was weeks ago now! So why am I not getting over it? What is it you people aren't telling me?"

Sam sobbed as she stood gazing at the man she desperately loved through a veil of tears. He was deteriorating right in front of her very eyes. Each day he grew less patient - not that he was that big on it to start with really - but as time passed by he was becoming more and more irritable and mentally unstable. If he carried on like this then Janet would have no choice in handing him over to Dr. McKenzie to be committed to a padded cell. The prospect frightened her; there was so much hanging on his ability to pull through this.

It was so damn hard to watch a self-contained man like Jack O'Neill gradually break down from mental illness. He had always been the strongest one of the group; had always been the one to turn to whenever the world collapsed around her. Like when they thought they had lost Daniel several times over. Jack was the corner stone of the team, of her life now without her father. With this unspecified brain damage or whatever it was Janet called it, it was as if he were crumbling away piece by piece, and it was undermining the very foundations of his sanity, let alone their relationship. She had high hopes that Dr. Ramsey would be able to do something to stop the rot and maybe cure whatever it is that ailed her lover.

Janet had called his episodes of doubt and mistrust, as Paranoid Delusions. Whatever they were caused by, she sure wished that it hadn't been Jack to suffer from them. She'd moved in with him to keep an eye on him, and now here he was, telling her he wanted her to leave him alone. How could she do that? In all honesty how could she leave him when he needed her the most?

"You people?" Sam had picked up on his scathing words and the vehemence behind them. "Jack..." she placated with upturned hands, which longed to soothe away the pain of his paranoia. "...we're your friends! We're trying to help you."

"Are you? Because I'm really beginning to doubt that," he argued, stepping back even as she moved towards him.

"Jack please, don't say things like that. You know we are. We've all been friends for years now and I've been more than that for the last month, haven't I? I love you with all my heart Jack! Won't you let me help you?"

"It's all too much, too soon Sam. One day the regs say we can't touch, the next..._god_...we're in bed. Jeez...I can't think straight anymore. Just leave me the hell alone!" Jack, in the years he'd wished they were together, he'd never imagined that she would actually 'smother' him so much.

"Jack..."

"Sam...just...!"

"But...?"

"Stay away Sam. Get away from my house and let me be. Just give me some time to sort myself out...please? Just for a while. That's all I'm asking Sam, just for some time. Sam, as God is my witness, I really do love you, but I have to do this for my own peace of mind."

Sam looked at him through misty eyes and sniffed back another wave of sobs.

She looked so woebegone that Jack just couldn't bear to leave her like that. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, and God knows that was the last thing on his mind, but he had to stop her watching over him for a few weeks at least, just so he could totally rid his body of those damn drugs.

He stepped up to her and pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head tenderly. He held her close, and rocked her gently, trying to ease the pain of their separation and his harsh words. Words that he needed to say despite the outcome.

Cupping her tear-stained face he kissed her once again before he pulled back and released her.

"I'll be fine Sam. I promise. I've taken some time off so I'll catch you later."

He turned and left the room, leaving behind a very frustrated and annoyed Sam who folded her arms and glared fiercely at the door. Once she had control over her temper, she growled in anger, kicking out at the nearest available inanimate object which happened to be a chair. Then she pursed her lips, batted away the crocodile tears and hurried off to find Janet.

OoOoOoOoO

Jack quickly packed a few things into a holdall when he got home and then slung the bag in the back of his truck and took off. He didn't know where he was heading as yet, but the first port of call was the gas station to fill up the gas-tank, and afterwards, to the cash machine to withdraw enough cash to last him at least a month. Then, putting the truck into gear, he made for the nearest highway heading north, and just kept going.

All the time he was driving, he couldn't help the deep feeling of regret at what he was doing. He'd loved Sam with abandon but he was also leaving her behind. Once he could rid his body of whatever the hell Janet had been pumping into him, then maybe, maybe he would be able to think clearly and discover just what on earth was wrong with everything around him.

There was also a prickly frisson of doubt which crept uninvited into his mind, that perhaps he really was sick and that by doing this he would suffer some horrible full blown psychotic episode that would lead to a disaster of epic proportions, perhaps by going completely insane and taking down a while host of innocent people along with himself before the cops shot him down, or perhaps he would just end up languishing in a mental institute for the rest of his life, curled up on the floor in a ball, completely gaga. 'And God forbid either of those scenarios to come true,' he sighed out loud to himself.

He really didn't want to think like that; couldn't look at this with those sort of thoughts in his mind. This had to be done because he was determined to clear his mind of everything; hence this hasty dash for freedom, because deep down he had a sick feeling they wouldn't allow him to escape from whatever it was they were hiding from him.

The road stretched out in front of him; the miles spun away from under his tyres. Open country and city alike sped past his windows and the further away he progressed the happier and more relaxed he'd felt.

OoOoOoOoO

The car screeched to a sudden halt, and Janet, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c tumbled from the borrowed Air Force saloon and rushed up the steps to reach the door. Behind them another truck skidded to an abrupt stop and several SF's moved quickly to surround the house.

Sam opened the door with her key and then she and the others charged in, weapons raised and ready for action.

Despite their unwelcome presence, Jack's house stood empty and silent, and Sam ordered the rest of the team to spread out and continue the search for the missing officer, while Janet trailed along behind her.

"His truck's not in the garage Ma'am, there's no sign of him anywhere," someone reported to Sam via the radio.

"Thank you Sergeant. Return to base," she sighed unhappily, her lips pursed in bitter frustration.

"Yes Ma'am."

Although they'd thoroughly searched the house, Jack had managed to give them the slip. They'd found nothing which would indicate where he had gone either, and Sam noted that the keys to the cabin were still in their usual place in the drawer, so he hadn't gone there either. They stood around waiting for Sam to calm down; she was livid over the whole thing.

"Without alerting the authorities, he could be just about anywhere Janet, especially with all his black ops training he could hide out for weeks, even on top of the mountain, and we wouldn't even know he was there," Sam said, feeling decidedly crabby by their fruitless search. Why hadn't she acted sooner? This whole scheme should have been easy to deal with, but they'd been foiled. He was almost where she'd wanted him; they had been so close. Just another few weeks and he wouldn't have been any the wiser. Damn Black Op for teaching him how to fight against drugs! And damn the man too!

"It's too late to do anything now Sam. We'll have to think of another way round the problem," Janet sighed, feeling deflated and at a loss, now that her patient had bolted. "If he doesn't come back we will have to involve, the police, Sam, so that they can slap a BOLO on him. We have to find him soon!"

Sam pursed her lips and nodded with a heavy heart. Things were looking so good too, but now everything she had planned was in ruins. He'd never accept her now, not after he was free of the drugs.

"Now don't you worry Sam. We'll find him," Janet assured her. "And then we can start again from scratch."

"Will that work?" Sam asked doubtfully.

"We can only try Sam, but you know I'll do my best; anything to get you together again."

Daniel winced at Janet's words, he wasn't so sure this had been a good idea in the first place, but he had gone with the flow despite his earlier misgivings. He knew Jack perhaps better than any of the others did. Knew him for a goddamn stubborn SOB and that he was strong minded when he needed to be, and right now he so needed to be strong enough to fight them. They were never going to keep Jack O'Neill from finding out what was going on. However, Daniel couldn't say anything about how he personally felt, not without facing the wrath of his team-mates, but also from Hammond too. So, for the time being he kept his thoughts to himself, but silently vowed to help Jack escape should any opportunity arise if they caught him. There was no way on this man's earth that he would stand by and watch Jack be subdued and manipulated by their scheming ways.

"O'Neill has not taken his medication with him," Teal'c said as he walked from the kitchen holding a small bottle of tablets up so they could all see it.

"Damn the man!" Janet cursed, taking the bottle from the Jaffa.

"What does that mean exactly?" Daniel asked. He wasn't very well versed in medicines and their effects, only that it was having some sort of hold over Jack, and secretly was glad Jack had abandoned them.

"It means that he'll begin to remember all the wrong things," Janet sighed. "...unless, we can get to him first, that is."

"Yeah right. So where do we start?" Daniel inquired. Somehow, from learning that little gem of information, he realised that he had to get to Jack before they did. Though in the long run he would still have to somehow smuggle him back into the SGC and keep him hidden away from everyone else. Then he would be able to explain everything and hope that Jack would be able to forgive him.

"Well, for a start we need to report this to General Hammond. Then we'll make a search of the Banks for withdrawals; Gas stations to see where he filled up the tank; and grocery stores etc. We should be able to map out where he'd heading by following his credit card transactions," Sam explained on their way out, locking the door behind her.

If Daniel knew Jack as well as he thought he did, then he knew they wouldn't find any trace of him after he'd left the city. Presuming of course he hadn't stayed right there just to fool them into thinking otherwise.

They all returned to Cheyenne Mountain to report to the General who was obviously just as frustrated and irritated as they were that Jack had gotten away.

Daniel also knew that Jack would eventually return, and when he did, he would be the only one who could help his friend out of this situation. He would have to bide his time though and hope that Jack would walk in the door in a week or two, or maybe longer.

Then almost immediately he would arrested, only this time more drastic action would be needed to suppress him. Daniel hoped it would never come to that, and swore to be there for him and do all in his power to see that the worst case scenario would never happen; even if giving Jack his freedom would cost him his own life. Hell it would be worth it! Daniel felt that he no longer had a place here any more and almost wished that he'd been left back on Abydos, and would probably get himself killed trying to help Jack escape.

OoOoOoOoO

As soon as Jack hit Billings, Montana, he ditched the truck by selling it off to a local dealer. Then he hopped on a bus bound for Rapid City, South Dakota in the opposite direction to where he wanted to end up. Once there he purchased another used car and drove back towards the heart of the Rocky mountains. He hired some camping equipment in Jackson Wyoming and took off into the great open wilderness to await his recovery, before turning himself in to the SGC.

After the few days of his leave was over, he would be officially classed as AWOL and would have face the consequences of whatever his punishment would be. If by taking this step, his hypothesis was proved wrong, then he would duly apologise, but before that happened, he needed to discover the truth. Where that would leave him, he didn't have the first clue, especially where his relationship with Sam was concerned.

TBC


	9. The Truth Will Out

_Hi everyone, I sure hope you got to see this and read the last few chapters, because I haven't been able to see it on the list at all. I really have no idea what's going on; I'm not getting all my alerts either. Anyone else having a problem or is it just me?_

_Anyway – On with the story, and here's where you will finally get to learn the truth. Thanks as always for those of you who managed to find the last chapter and review it. At least I know some of you are still reading this! LOL!_

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

After the few days of his leave was over, he would be officially classed as AWOL and would have face the consequences of whatever his punishment would be. If by taking this step, his hypothesis was proved wrong, then he would duly apologise, but before that happened, he needed to discover the truth. Where that would leave him, he didn't have the first clue, especially where his relationship with Sam was concerned.

Chapter 9 – The Truth Will Out

It took Jack almost three weeks to be able to shake himself free of the drugs. His headaches started to clear up after the first several days and now, finally, his mind was free of the drugs and he was able to think clearly again. He'd secreted some of his medication in his pockets for some reason for which he wasn't quite sure of just yet, but seemed to realise that he might need them at some later stage.

When he thought back over everything that had happened to him recently, he knew darn well, that they didn't add up. So now it was time to face the music and maybe learn the truth. With that in mind, he packed away his gear, and returned it to the hire store then drove back to Colorado and on up the long winding road that led to directly to Cheyenne Mountain to meet his destiny.

Upon his arrival there, he was immediately arrested and taken to the holding cells far below the ground. He knew this would happen so he offered no resistance, keeping his eyes firmly to the front, ignoring the glares from everyone they passed along the way. He had done nothing wrong except want to know the real reason behind his so called mental illness.

He made himself relax, lying down on the bunk while his mind stayed focused on his target of understanding what had gone so wrong. His only thoughts were that maybe while he had been out of it, that there had been a foothold situation and all his friends were actually aliens, but he dismissed that almost straight away as a fantasy. Mostly because they'd already done that, got the T-shirt, and besides, he didn't see it happening for a second time, not with all the precautions that were now in place.

He was distracted from his musings when the door to the room opened and he looked up from where he was reclining on the bed.

His visitor was General Hammond. He entered the room and stood just several feet away from the bars of cell. He then turned and waved the guard away, who then shut the door behind him, before he spoke.

Jack had stood up out of respect for the senior officer, as he walked nearer coming to a halt in front of the bars, but not too close to the electronic beams that gave extra security against the prisoner.

"So, I'm afraid you leave us no alternative Jack," Hammond began, looking disappointed but also bitter if that was possible.

"Do I have a choice anyway?" Jack countered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"No." Hammond was succinct in not abrupt, which made Jack wonder if this really was the same officer he had grown to respect over the past few years.

"I kinda thought not." Jack fixed the shorter, bald man with a hard stare.

"You should have continued with things as they were Colonel. It would have been better all round, especially for yourself."

"Oh, you mean the whole drugged up to the eyeball thing that eventually would have made me forget everything I'd ever known?"

Hammond nodded, accepting that Jack wasn't stupid after all.

"It would have been easier on all of us."

"No way! Been there; done that kinda crap. Your pathetic ploy didn't work General!"

"So I see. Your training did you proud son. It's such a shame it was all wasted here."

Jack knew Hammond didn't mean anything he'd spouted so far about being sorry, because he could see the lie so clearly in the older man's pale blue eyes.

"So, what now?"

"Now you will be implanted with a device to erase your former memories so there will be no chance of escape from your position."

"Okay, So, before I go down that road - albeit reluctantly I might add - would you mind explaining to me just why you are doing this? And who are you people? Because you sure as hell are not the same people I know and respect!"

"I'm sure you'd like to know, but sorry Colonel. I can't run the risk of telling you anything. Just in case this procedure fails of course."

Jack didn't like the sound of that at all. It sounded more like a threat and he begun to think about how he could get out of this.

"And if it does fail?" He wasn't so sure he wanted to know, but he had to ask.

"Then we have no alternative but to exterminate you."

"So, why don't you save us all a load of trouble and kill me now, because there's no way I will ever conform. Over my dead body!"

"You won't have a choice. We've worked hard to get this right and we need you Colonel. And it could well come to that too."

"Get someone else for your little experiment...sir!" Jack spat back disdainfully.

"Dr. Frasier will be ready for you shortly. In the meantime I suggest you decide what it is you really want from this. You could be happy Colonel. Sam was more than willing to have you."

"Never. I happen to like the old me, and I want my own life back."

General Hammond dropped his gaze to the floor and turned to retreat, but at the door he stopped and looked back at Jack, still standing defiantly watching him.

"I'm sorry son. I can't allow that."

Then he was gone, leaving behind a tenseness that made Jack sag with the added weight of confusion. He stepped back towards the bed and flung himself down on it. Lacing his fingers together behind his head, all he could do was wait for the end to come. He would rather commit suicide than submit to whatever they had in mind for him. He was not nearer learning what was going on than he had been before and that more than anything bugged him worse than a swarm of mosquitos.

It seemed like hours to Jack before he heard the sound of a gurney getting nearer. He closed his eyes briefly knowing that his time had finally come; and then, they were there.

Janet and her medical team were standing there along with Sam and Teal'c. For a brief moment he wondered where Daniel was but then again, Daniel was a law unto himself, and he wasn't sure if he was glad that he wouldn't witness his downfall or happy that he wouldn't be there to see how it went down, because there was no way he would survive this day with what he had in mind.

"Sooo, see you brought the big guns along, Doc. Expecting trouble?" he asked snidely.

"Just a precaution you understand Colonel," Janet said all business like, and Jack gave her a hard stare, wondering if he really knew her at all.

"That's just it, Doc. I don't understand any of this, and now I guess I never will."

Sam blushed a little at this, but fixed him with a steady gaze.

"I loved you Jack. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" she asked as she drew nearer to the bars separating them, but Jack stood there, arms folded across his chest looking immovable.

"An' here I always thought it did, but there ya go, I was wrong. I don't love 'you' Sam. You're not the Sam that I want. Not the same Sam I fell in love with. Whatever happened to her?"

"I could be, if you gave me a chance!"

"Too late Sam. You blew your chances. It was never gonna work under that kinda premise."

"We were great together Jack."

"Now that, is something I do regret about this whole situation. I should never have let you get to me!" he replied angrily. "God only knows what the hell I was thinking at the time. Oh yeah, I forgot; I wasn't thinking at that time was I, because you had me drugged up so much I wasn't even sure if I was on my feet or my ass!"

Jack would have continued with his rant if the sound of a Zat firing outside the room hadn't taken them all in surprise.

The door flew open and Jack could only just see the blue static discharge as it felled, first Teal'c then Janet and Sam as well as the medical staff before anyone could raise the alarm.

Jack wondered who it was that had come to his rescue, when a slightly apologetic Daniel stepped from the door and ordered Jack to stand back while he fired at the lock.

"Jack," Daniel cried in urgency. "Quickly, we don't have much time. Come on follow me."

"Daniel?"

"Jack! Look, I'll explain as we go, but can we just get out of here?"

He threw Jack another Zat gun and they ran down the corridor zatting the guards as the went, while Daniel breathlessly told him what had really been going on.

"You don't belong here Jack. This isn't your reality."

"Yeah well, I kinda guessed that already. But how the hell did I get here? More to the point, why am I here?"

"In this reality, you and Sam were engaged to be married, but you were killed when you went off into space in a Retro death glider. By the time we arrived you were already long dead."

"What? But Teal'c was with me in that thing too!"

"Yeah, I know, but he survived by slipping into a deep state of Kel-no-reem. You didn't!"

Jack shrugged. It explained an awful lot but not the how.

They rounded the corner and came under more fire. They stepped back cautiously and Jack signalled silently his plan on getting passed them.

It worked as Jack rolled across the floor, drawing their fire away, Daniel was able to zat them.

Both hurried onwards, with Daniel picking up the story again.

"Sam had, for a long time, worked on creating an artificial wormhole with one exception."

"It acted like that Trans... mirror thingy!" Jack surmised. He wasn't at all surprised by that. He always knew there was something going on, just not quite what. Now that he knew he was understandably angry and exceedingly bitter. It had robbed him of the life he really should be living.

"Yeah. She and Janet and the General hatched this plot to kidnap another 'you', you that is, and give you the same type of drugs that Martin Lloyd had been taking, so that eventually the memory of your old life would be wiped away, just so Sam got to have 'you' back again."

"So eventually I'd never have known the difference. Yeah I got that. That's why I had to get out of here, so I could de-tox myself. Nothing felt right here."

They had come to a stop, catching their breath for a moment before they reached their destination.

"I couldn't stand by and let that happen to you Jack. You may not be my Jack, but I couldn't let them do this to you, no matter if you're um...not really my world's friend. My Jack had always been a good friend to me and I hope in your reality you and your version of 'me' are good friends too."

"We are Daniel. That we are," Jack assured him, as his hand gently squeezed Daniel's nearest shoulder, feeling incredibly humbled by this Daniel's genuine honesty; just as was his own counterpart back on Jack's earth.

"And he would do the same if he ever had a choice like this?"

"Sureyoubetchya!" Jack replied straight away with a big grin.

"That's good!"

"So, what do we do now?" Jack had to get them moving again. Time was short. "They're gonna be more than a little upset that it was you who freed me," Jack said taking down another guard and a couple of SG team members that had joined in the hunt.

"I'm gonna try and get you back to where you belong," Daniel yelled above the noise of Zats firing. So far they had been lucky to escape. "We need to get to room 22B."

"That's just a storeroom!" Jack wondered why they were heading to a storeroom and not to a lab or somewhere similar. Hell, he didn't know what the heck he was looking for anyway.

"It also happens to be where they set up this artificial wormhole to an alternate universe. Namely yours!"

"Oh! Okay! So what are we waitin' for? Let's go Daniel!"

TBC


	10. A Friend in Need

_Well, I'm sure I am no clearer as to what's happening when I post this story – it still hasn't shown up on the latest stories pages as yet - this may be the fifth chapter to go AWOL too. Maybe it will actually make it to the page this time round, but I have no way of knowing until I see it – or not!_

_I'd like to thank all those who managed to get to see this and for reviewing; I haven't had those in my mail box as yet either. sigh At least by signing in, I know someone out there has actually read this. Neither am I getting my alerts._

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

"Oh! Okay! So what are we waitin' for? Let's go Daniel!"

Chapter 10 – A Friend in Need

They nearer they got to their goal the fiercer the resistance. Jack ducked just as a bullet impacted the concrete next to his left ear, cursing as the sharp pieces pitted his cheek just before he retaliated by taking the two guards out. Daniel also took a couple out too who had sneaked in behind them. At last, by leap-frogging they cleared the way through the corridors, they finally reached their target and once inside the door the technicians on duty didn't have time to question what was going on before they were struck down by zat fire too.

Daniel ran over to the control panel and his fingers skipped over the keyboard in an effort to get the computer to find Jack's own reality again so that it would allow Jack to escape back to where he really belonged.

Jack kept watch on the door, but right now there wasn't anyone shooting at them; mostly because the guards and other SGC personnel were gathering outside for the main event.

He could hear Hammond giving his orders, and he could see Sam watching him closely, hard eyes blazing at him so much he could almost imagine her thoughts. He knew the final assault wouldn't be pretty, and guessed that the way they were gearing up, it was obviously a case of – 'if Sam couldn't have him, then nobody else would!' He turned back to yell over his shoulder.

"Could ya hurry it up a little Daniel? They're gonna be coming through this door any minute."

"I'm trying Jack. You think you could do better? Be my guest! This is Sam's domain not mine!"

Jack rolled his eyes and peeped out of the door again narrowly missing a hail of bullets as they bit into the door and the frame above him.

He slammed the door quickly, ducking low behind it and then zatting the lock to jam it, thus buying them some time.

"Got it!" Daniel crowed with delight as he quickly worked the controls.

There was an awful lot of action going on out in the hallway, and Jack knew their time had almost run out when he heard the door shatter under weapons fire. Any minute now they would all come charging into the room and then it would be over.

Jack bounced edgily on his feet, watching impatiently as the wormhole formed and he had the distinct impression that Daniel was going to suffer greatly for his actions, perhaps sacrificing his life to do this for him. He would have invited him back to his own reality but he already had a Daniel there and they couldn't live in the same alternate universe together because of the effects from Entropic Cascade failure, and they had already destroyed the mirror that his Daniel had discovered that time.

"Daniel..." Jack began, lost for words. How could he thank him for this? "Thanks Danny. I wish..."

"Go Jack, go. Just do me a favour...Look out for your own Daniel when you get home. Be a friend to your version of 'me'."

"Always Danny-boy. Always." Jack squeezed this world's Daniel's shoulder, then quickly pulled his pseudo friend into a hug and Daniel hugged him back.

Daniel was actually going to miss this Jack. He'd already missed his old friend, more than he though possible. This Jack had been his friend too but it just wasn't the same; there were slight differences between them, but not enough to dislike the man.

"Good luck Jack. Take care of yourself."

"Will do Daniel. You too."

The door finally crashed open and Jack could hear Hammond shouting that he mustn't be allowed to escape. The order to kill him spurred him on and he took a flying leap into the wormhole amid a storm of gunshots which followed him.

The dizzying effects of the unconventional wormhole cross mirror thing, thoroughly confused him when he landed hard and painfully onto the grass of his back yard, hurting more than he cared to think about. Then to add to his misery there was another thump and he looked round as the wormhole snapped off, only to find Daniel lying half across him, unconscious and covered in blood.

Jack tried to pull himself free, trying to turn round in order to reach Daniel's side but he felt completely drained and weak from the weird journey. He eventually managed to drag himself round to see to his 'friend' despite his body screaming at him from the agony.

"Daniel!" he was surprised when his own voice sounded feeble and he was breathless as if he'd been running for miles. Well he had just made a run for his life, hadn't he? This was different though; it was hurting him just to breathe. Could the landing have been bad enough to really knock the wind out of his sails?

He grabbed Daniel's jacket and pulled him across his thighs, patted his face to try and to rouse him.

He was rewarded when the blue eyes fluttered a few times then opened into mere slits.

"Ja...k." Daniel sounded so weak and breathless that Jack was surprised he was alive, let alone conscious.

"Hey there. You still with me?" Jack gasped, trying to hide his own pain.

"Not...f'...long." Daniel coughed and frothy blood gurgled from his lungs to seep from the corner of his mouth, and running down his chin.

"Hang on there Daniel. I'll get some help. You stay with me. Okay?"

"Kay..."

Daniel's eyes drifted shut and Jack was having a hard time keeping his open too.

"Hey! Wake up. You can't go to sleep now big guy," Jack ordered, trying to keep himself awake in the process.

"So...ry."

There was a moment when Daniel's breathing hitched, and Jack held his breath until Daniel carried on with another harsh breath.

"Home? You...home?" Daniel asked, growing weaker by the second, and Jack took a brief look round to see where he was.

"Yeah Danny. Thanks to you!" Jack patted his friend's cheek in affection. "I'm home!"

"Tha...s goo...d."

Jack smiled down at his alternate friend and Daniel responded quickly, but then the smile faded, replaced instead with a sigh. Jack felt utterly bereft when it heralded Daniel's last breath.

It was all too much. Jack had already seen his Daniel die several times already, and although technically this wasn't really his friend, it was just as painful devastating to him to have to sit there and watch it happen all over again.

He cradled Daniel's body to his chest then gave into the overwhelming sensations that were rapidly filling him with lethargy. Vague pains were making themselves known in his consciousness and his hold on reality finally slipped away from him. He slumped over onto his side and lay motionless, surrendering to the darkness of unconsciousness, still clutching his dead friend in his arms.

OoOoOoOoO

Beep...beep...beep...beep...

The constant beeping gradually penetrated his consciousness, rousing him above the dreamless state that had cushioned him against the real world. His thoughts drifted along on cotton wool, as light and airy as any little white cloud high in the sky on a summer's day.

Jack lay listening to the regular blips until his mind realised what they were; each beep denoting the beating of his heart. Once again he was in the infirmary.

Been there, done this...he mused with dry humour, smirking at his own wit a mere moment to two when the doubts about what happened resurfaced. He remembered this from last time - this how it all started before...

Before?

God! He was back there?"

"NOOOOO!" he screamed as his body tried to shoot upright.

He didn't get far simply because there were hands holding him down. Voices that he knew were trying to reassure him that he was home at last. His mind registered deep pain. Agonising pain. But was he really home? Had those 'other' friends actually caught him again, and drugged him as promised? It was hard to think straight; his mind refused to work, so maybe they had won and wiped his memories... But, then... if that was the case, then why could he recall them telling him what they had planned?

He slipped away again, the memories tangible but the answers elusive.

It was hours later when he resurfaced from the miasma of darkness once more.

He immediately felt a presence by his side and physically tensed before someone squeezed his hand. He tried to respond but his limbs felt numb and heavy. Far too heavy for him to move them; and his eyelids just wanted to stay glued together. It was just too much of an effort to try and do anything just yet.

He vaguely heard someone talking...no...yelling.

Then there were footsteps which seemed to be hurrying towards him.

Suddenly there were several hushed but excited voices surrounding him.

A gentle touch to his face, then a bright light flashed in his eye.

He flinched away with a stifled groan.

"Colonel?"

Janet's voice was soft and pleading but he didn't want to see her. Didn't want to know the certainty of being back here again. He was so tired. Too tired in fact. All he wanted to do was surrender to the darkness once more, shutting out a reality he didn't want to face. Ever. Why didn't they just let him die, for cryin' out loud!

"Colonel!"

It was so more of an order this time and reluctantly it brought him back from the brink or letting go.

"I know you can hear me sir. Please, Colonel open your eyes for me." Janet obviously wasn't above begging.

"You're home sir. You're safe now!" came from another voice he wasn't sure he wanted to hear, but then...

Sam's reassurance sounded so convincing, he almost reacted, but held back. He just wasn't sure he could trust her.

So, he didn't respond. Instead, he lay there listening, still adrift on those gentle waves on the open sea.

"I'm sorry Sam. He's still very weak. He just needs time to heal. Keep talking to him, though; keep telling him he's safe now. God I'd like to get my hands on whoever did this to him!" Janet spat through gritted teeth.

"It's so strange Janet, I just can't believe he's home again. It's been months since he disappeared into seemingly thin air. I'm sure he'll have one hell of a story to tell when he finally recovers enough to make his report."

Jack began to wonder if perhaps he was home after all. They all sounded so normal; so concerned. He'd truly expected them to be hard and all business like after his mad escape. That reality's Hammond - and he suspected, Sam too - had wanted him killed.

It was while he was chewing over these thoughts that he remembered the other reality's Daniel Jackson.

Daniel came tumbling through the wormhole after him and then died in his arms.

With what felt like a superhuman effort, Jack forced his eyes open to see if it was actually real or if he'd been drugged and dreaming everything. He needed to know one way or another, and lying there ignoring it all wouldn't change things. So for better or worse, he was now awake...kinda.

The first thing he did see however, was a huge smile on the face that hovered just above him.

"Welcome home Sir."

"Car...der?" he whispered croakily. "Tha...yu?" God, his mouth tasted foul and his throat was dry and scratchy. He tried to swallow and failed, ending up giving a pathetic dry cough.

"Yes sir! It's good to see you again Colonel!" Sam grinned, offering his a few ice chips, which he greedily accepted.

"Yeah!" he finally sighed with relief. If she had called him 'Jack' then he would have known he was still there in that other reality, but it wasn't so, she'd called him 'Sir' and 'Colonel'. And that in itself was good enough proof for him, that he was home at last.

TBC


	11. Doctor's Orders

_Well, here's another chapter for you to enjoy, should you get to read it of course – yes even the previous update was lost too. Thanks for reassuring me I'm not the only one with a problem here, and thanks to those of you who sent in a review...they were so very welcome. Hope this works this time!_

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

"Yeah!" he finally sighed with relief. If she had called him 'Jack' then he would have known he was still there in that other reality, but it wasn't so, she'd called him 'Sir' and 'Colonel'. And that in itself was good enough proof for him, that he was home at last.

Chapter 11 – Doctor's Orders!

Janet watched as the Colonel visibly relaxed, accepting the news that Sam offered, quickly realising that he really was home at last. Not knowing what had happened to him for so many months had been a real strain on practically everyone from General Hammond right down to those who cooked and served in the commissary, to even the occasional civilian clerk. All had missed Jack's unique personality, but none more so that by his team.

Sam had been very near to breaking point when she couldn't unearth the reason for his sudden disappearance; not knowing who to blame the most. She had almost convinced herself that he had been abducted by either the NID or by the Goa'uld; neither of which boded well for the Colonel's wellbeing. There had been no signs of a break-in, meaning the Colonel hadn't been taken as a hostage or killed in the attempt to rob his house. If he had been kidnapped there should have been several messages demanding a ransom, but there hadn't been anything of that nature.

The NID, of course, had persistently and vehemently denied all knowledge of any possible abduction of the Colonel or his current whereabouts. Also, on any normal missions that took place, no word had been forthcoming from their allies or contacts to say whether the Goa'uld had taken him as a prisoner. He had, as far as they were concerned, literally disappeared off the face of the earth. Something which they had all but been ordered to accept, despite the need to know what had really taken place on that fateful afternoon.

Eventually after all other avenues had been explored and deemed improbable, they had called on Thor. Unfortunately, the modest Asgard had only confirmed that O'Neill was either being held captive somewhere else in the galaxy, or, had met his untimely death on his own world; mainly because the highly sophisticated sensors on board his ship in orbit around the planet, had found no trace of their intrepid leader.

So it was with an unbridled joy singing in her heart that Sam could neither show nor express, she offered him some more ice chips, happy to be able to spoon a few into his mouth so that he could savour the moisture, and he was allowing her to do this much for him.

Jack closed his eyes momentarily, holding the blessed moisture in his mouth for few seconds, before swallowing gratefully.

"Thanks!" His dark eyes opened once more and blinked but stayed fixed onto Sam's face making her blush slightly and drop her eyes away first, turning all business like to replace the glass on the table beside the Colonel's bed, but on turning she discovered that he was following her every move.

Janet had run her few tests, and had just finished writing up the findings in her notes, comparing them with the ones they took as soon as the Colonel had arrived back at the SGC. Looking down at him now, then up at Sam she smiled, knowing of that unspoken attachment between the two, while she also wondered what had happened to him back in that other place. Full of confidence, she believed that all would be well again, and sooner if; well, maybe. If only she could get him to share this latest adventure of his with Dr. McKenzie, that is. Noting the Colonel hadn't taken his eyes of her friend who was looking more than uncomfortable by the look he was giving her, Janet coughed politely to bring his attention back onto her.

"You're going to be just fine Colonel. The wounds to your shoulder and thigh are healing nicely," Janet reassured him, though Jack's own expression now turned to one of confusion.

"Wounds?" he frowned. He didn't remember getting hurt. Daniel was the one who was hurt...real bad; enough to make him die at any rate.

"You have a couple of bullet wounds sir. One high up on your shoulder blade, and the other entered your thigh, but lucky for you it missed the artery. It's a good job Sam was on her way over to your house when you returned or you could have perished like Dr. Jackson too.

"God! Daniel...I..."

"We assume he was from an alternate reality sir?" Sam asked softly, seeing Jack's face now etched with emotional rather than physical pain.

Jack nodded, his face still drawn tight as he recalled Daniel's efforts to get him home. He completely missed the silent exchange between Sam and Janet, now both wondering if all this had been a false hope.

"And you sir?" Sam had to ask. They had to know one way or the other.

Straight away, he knew what they were thinking.

"No. This is where I belong here! I hope."

"Can you tell us what happened son?" A concerned, yet weary voice called from the doorway.

None of them had noticed General Hammond standing on the threshold of the room. His question startling them all with it's intensity.

"Long story sir," Jack sighed, wearily, sleep already tugging at his consciousness.

"I don't think the Colonel is quite up to this just yet General," Janet informed him with determination. She wasn't going to allow Jack to tire himself out. They would just have to wait until her patient was ready to answer the type of questioning that she knew would have to take place to establish his true identity, where he had been, and the inevitable how and why.

General Hammond looked over her shoulder to see Jack lying there incredibly pale and washed out and with his eyes now closed. He sighed in resignation, pressing his lips together tightly from frustration. He was so desperate to discover just what had happened to Jack and why he went missing for so long, he found it more irritating, to know he couldn't get the answers he had sought for so long, but he could see that she was right to be concerned for the Colonel; from his haggard appearance, it looked as if his experience had been nothing short of a nightmare.

Then of course there was the question of why Jack was found lying in the middle of his garden with a dead alternate Dr. Jackson clutched to him. They had previously searched everywhere for him and had found nothing; with no clue as to his whereabouts; then suddenly he was back, or maybe he wasn't. Admittedly the Colonel was wounded, but if he was their Jack, he was now home none the less. Therefore, Hammond nodded his acceptance of Janet's wishes and turned on the spot, leaving her to care for his 2IC.

OoOoOoOoO

The real Daniel Jackson shared the task of staying with the Colonel, between Sam and Teal'c; willing to sit beside him as he slept the deep slumber of a healing sleep.

It was some hours later when Jack roused again. This time he found Daniel sitting by his bedside, reading the ubiquitous dusty tome.

"Dan…iel," Jack murmured softly.

"Jack. Hi," Daniel responded with a smile when he saw the glassy brown eyes open at half-mast to study him, unsure if Jack had really woken this time or if the sound of his name from Jack's lips had been wishful thinking on his behalf.

Jack attempted to swallow and Daniel offered him some ice chips. He nodded and relished the feeling of the coolness sliding down his throat.

"Thanks."

"How're you doing Jack?"

"Oh, jus' peachy!"

Daniel grinned at the familiar comment coming from his friend. He'd sorely missed Jack, and surprisingly the sarcasm as well as their infamous 'tit for tat' arguments.

"It's good to see you back again Jack. We had absolutely no idea where you'd disappeared to or anything. We searched for weeks."

Jack smiled.

"Yeah...sorry...couldn't phone home!"

Daniel grimaced with understanding, working on the assumption that Jack had been trapped in an alternate universe, it would have been impossible to give them a call.

"What happened to the other...you? The other Daniel's...body?"

"Oh! Um..." Daniel blinked owlishly and looked away, feeling somewhat strange and perhaps a little embarrassed, though goodness knew why. "Er...Janet's put him in one of the ISO rooms, using it as a temporary morgue. We...em...don't quite know what to do with him as yet. We wanted to wait until your were okay before we...ah...buried him." Daniel drew his eyebrows together, trying to figure out how they could do that and still call him Daniel Jackson without people believing it wasn't him lying in the grave...or whatever.

"Too weird huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"He helped me to get home, Daniel. I didn't know how..."

"That's good!" Daniel was thankful that his counterpart had help Jack find his way home again, and that they seemed to be friends too, if the tone of Jack's voice was anything to go by.

"He also filled me in on the why too."

"You don't have to tell me Jack. General Hammond, yes you do, but only when you're ready. You should be resting now."

"S'okay." Jack said wincing when he tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

"You want I should call Janet."

Jack shook his head.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not!"

"I will be!"

"Not for a while yet."

"It's not that bad Daniel."

"Oh come on Jack. When Sam found you she thought it was already too late. If she hadn't dropped by to check on the house when she did we would never have known until... well, until the next day at the earliest."

"Then I'm really glad she did drop by."

"Yeah...us too."

"So how long have I...you know, been away?"

"Three..." Daniel coughed to clear his throat, then swallowed, pushing his fears back from trying to surface and upstage him. The last thing he wanted to do was break down in sheer relief, even if he did feel like it. "Actually it's been three months Jack."

"Really? Wow! It didn't seem that long."

Daniel shrugged. It had seemed like a lifetime to them.

"We..." Daniel paused, not knowing how to tell Jack how much he was missed, "We...ah...we didn't think we'd ever get to see you again. At least not alive."

"Are you being sappy, Daniel?"

"Too much?" The corners of Daniel's lips curved slightly.

"Ya think?"

"Okay. It's been far too quiet around here, but I guess that'll change now you're back."

"So, ya missed me that much huh?"

"Ah...no!"

"Liar!"

Daniel finally grinned.

"What do you think Jack?"

"I'm thinking you had much more fun than I did."

Janet walked into the room and was surprised to see Jack actually awake. She shot Daniel a quelling look, which made him gulp, expecting a set down any minute.

"Why didn't you call to tell me the Colonel was awake, Daniel?" she snipped at the younger man, while she started to run through her regular checks on her patient.

"So, you okay now that you're awake, Colonel?"

"Yeah, but not for long Doc." He yawned, feeling that familiar weariness creeping up on him.

Her eyebrows rose at his statement.

Jack yawned again, feeling his eyelids slide down to cover his eyes.

She tutted in disproval at Daniel for not telling her and then ran a soothing hand over her patient's brow, surreptitiously feeling for a temperature, but there was none.

"Go back to sleep Colonel. Rest."

"Hmmm," Jack mumbled, too tired to form any words.

When Janet was sure he was asleep, she turned on Daniel.

"You should have called me Daniel."

"He's fine Janet. He was lucid and more than happy to be home again."

"Good, so now you go and get some rest too, and don't you dare argue with me, Doctor. I expect him to sleep for several hours at least. I'll call you all when he's awake again."

Daniel bit his lip and nodded, feeling suitably chastised. Despite Janet's grumbling, he left the infirmary feeling a lot happier in himself, especially knowing that his friend was back and that he was going to be okay.

TBC


	12. Truth is Stranger than Fiction

_Hi guys – sorry to keep you hanging there. My computer decided it needed a rest and I had fun trying to get it to do what I wanted! It sort of developed a mind of its own for a while there. I think we've fixed it now – if only ff have fixed their bugs too! I'm still not getting my alerts etc!_

_Thank you to those of you who reviewed the last chapter, and a big thank you to those of you who added this to their favourite story list. I am humbled by your generosity. Thank you. Hope you like this one too. Some fluff coming up real soon, maybe in the next chapter...and just before the end of this story._

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Daniel bit his lip and nodded, feeling suitably chastised. Despite Janet's grumbling, he left the infirmary feeling a lot happier in himself, especially knowing that his friend was back and that he was going to be okay.

Chapter 12 – Truth is Stranger than Fiction

When Jack finally woke, it was to the odd sensation that his body felt stiff, numb and strangely heavy. It was nothing new when it came to having his flesh abused by gunshot wounds – been there and had far too many T-shirts - though with all of them before, he couldn't recall it feeling this bad; in fact he was finding it hard to move his hand at all. It actually felt like there was something holding him down. His mind finely tuned to seek answers before giving himself away to the enemy, he lay there trying to figure out why it was such a hard task to accomplish.

Very slowly, he opened his eyes, acclimatising them to the brightness around him. When he could focus without straining, he took the next important step, turning his head slightly to look down his body to where his hand should be resting on top of the covers; and smiled at the sight he beheld.

There, resting on his arm were the tousled blonde locks that belonged to his Sam as she rested on the edge of his bed, her hand still firmly clutching his under her cheek as she slept.

He lay there for a moment or two longer, just relishing that tender feeling of warmth which radiated from her touch. Jack lay there quietly, refilling his memory of her, and trying to push all thoughts of that other Sam away. Janet had already been by and confirmed that he was indeed their missing Colonel Jack O'Neill, so he knew without a doubt that this Sam was the real one. The one that he held dear in his affections. Despite what he had done back in that other place, this was the Sam he wanted; regulations notwithstanding.

Several minutes later he had to move his hand, deciding that the tingle of pins and needles stabbing it was getting too painful to ignore now.

However, as soon as he moved his arm, she woke; startled by his movement. Her head shot up and when she realised why she had awoken with a start, she broke into a big smile. It was a sight to behold merely because this woman's smile reached all the way up to her eyes.

"Sir. Hi. How're you doing?"

"I'm fine! A little sore still, but I'm okay," Jack huffed, trying to push himself up a little but he was not only stiff but sore too, and the effort was painful, let alone difficult with all those annoying tubes and wires attached. Sam took the controller and pressed the button to make the head of the bed rise so that he could sit up more comfortably.

"Thanks." He lay back feeling spent, and more than a little disgusted at his own weakness to accomplish such a simple task.

"I'm really glad you're okay sir." Sam laid her hand over his shoulder and, then lifted her hand higher in order to brush a strand of his longer hair away from his eye. The touch sent huge shivers surging through his body and he couldn't help but flinch from her touch.

When she pulled her arm back as if she had been burnt, he was more than angry with himself for having reacted in such a way.

"Sorry," he sighed, unable to meet her questioning eyes.

When he finally looked at her, he couldn't help but recall the time he'd spent with the other Sam at his cabin. It felt so real at the time, and now it had left him with a deep longing for more from her; more he could not in all honesty ask her to give. It seemed like there was now a huge great hole in his heart that only this Sam could fill.

"Sir?"

"I didn't mean to..." He waved a languid hand between them hoping she would understand and not delve into the whys too deeply. He wasn't ready to share his experience with any of them just yet, especially not with her. This world's Sam Carter didn't deserve to be likened to that other Sam. And to quote one of those damnable clichés, 'That woman couldn't hold a candle up to this Samantha Carter'.

"That's okay Colonel. Janet said you still seemed to be a little jumpy, but I guess it's because it still feels strange to be back after so long in that alternate reality.

"Oh, you have no idea, Carter."

"Should I have, sir?"

"No. It's gone, and I sure as hell don't ever wanna go back there."

"Was it that bad Colonel?" Sam asked tentatively.

Jack glanced at her and fixed her with such a long dark gaze that Sam had no problem interpreting the unspoken message.

"Then I guess, I'll never know, will I?" she sighed. She really wanted to know what the other place was like. Her curiosity was really peaked, wondering if the people of the SGC in that reality were anything like the ones they'd encountered before, but she knew not to push it with the Colonel.

"Daniel told me it was thanks to you that I'm still here," he said, changing the subject none too subtly, and thankful that Sam was quick to follow his lead.

"Yes sir," she answered with another smile, before it suddenly faded with the recollection. "I...I've...we've been keeping an eye on the house. It was my turn to go check the mail and..."

"Thanks. It's nice to know you guys did that for me." Jack felt awkward, and for the first time around Carter, he didn't know what to say. "And thanks for finding me. According to the Doc, I could have died apparently."

"I'm really glad I did find you sir. We'd really missed you around here."

Jack fell silent, the reality of being home and chatting with her, feeling more than a little odd, but comforting none the same.

A few moments later the uncomfortable silence that had descended over them was broken by Janet Fraiser's appearance in the doorway.

Sensing that her two favourite people were at an embarrassing impasse, she smiled and took charge of the situation.

"Colonel. It's good to see you're awake. How're you feeling now?"

Jack took the offered and very welcome change of subject with both hands, feeling gratified for her intrusion into what may have proved to be a more than a little awkward and emotional conversation.

"Just peachy Doc. A little sore and stiff. Been lying around and sleeping too long," he sighed, as Sam excused herself and left Janet to go through her routine checks on the Colonel.

Janet nodded knowingly but then concentrated on taking his pulse, noting it was still a little fast. But then, Sam and he looked slightly uncomfortable when she'd entered so maybe she could blame the rise from all that tension she'd felt between them. She quickly ran through everything and pulled back the dressings to check on the wounds; happy to see they were responding well to treatment.

"So Colonel, do you feel up to answering some questions?"

Jack looked at her in surprise, raising his eyebrows.

"General Hammond wondered if you were okay to attend the debriefing," she explained, watching him relax slightly at the news.

"Ah...!" he groaned, knowing he couldn't put the General off for too long. It was his duty to supply the answers to the Powers to Be, even if he didn't want them to know every single detail of what had happened to him. "May as well get it over with, but, can I get some breakfast around here Doc. I am so damn hungry, and I need some coffee too if I'm gonna face what is sure to be a whole mountain full of enquiries."

Janet smiled, understanding his need to be fed and knowing that there was a whole heap of questions that were begging to be answered.

"I'll send you in a light breakfast sir, and I don't think coffee will do you much harm in the long run. It will be a tough session I'm sure Colonel. Are you sure you're up to that. I could put the General off for another day or two if that's what you wanted."

Jack shook his head. He had to get this over and done with because as things were right now, it was going to take them all some time to get back to what passed for normal around here. They had to get over it and move on.

"No, but thanks Doc. I think this needs to be done sooner than later. I'll be fine. I would appreciate some clothes to wear though. I so do not wanna go to a debriefing in a backless gown. Covering my six would take on a whole new meaning."

Janet grinned and patted his arm.

"I'll see what I can do sir. I'll send a tray up right away. One thing though Colonel. You will not be walking there. You will use a wheelchair..." she paused and held up a hand to stop his expected refusal. "I'm getting Teal'c to push you, and he has strict instructions to keep you in that chair, Colonel. No buts!"

"Not showing one if you've got me sitting Doc!"

Jack harrumphed and turned on her heels, walking away before he could think up something else to say. Tossing a final threat over her shoulder as she left the room.

"Talking of butts sir, I still have plenty of big needles with your name on, and I'm not averse to using them."

Jack snorted in amusement as she disappeared. He had missed this Janet. The other one was just a little on the waspish side and took things far too seriously. At least with this Doc he knew where he stood and despite her threat, she always had his trust.

OoOoOoOoO

An hour later, Jack, with Teal's help, was seated in the wheelchair and being pushed steadily towards the briefing room, even though he'd urged Teal'c to put some speed into his rather sedate pace. Teal'c had ignored the comments about being a snail, and though he didn't understand O'Neill's reference, he kept to his own rate.

Jack had been greeted by most of the SGC personnel they'd passed along the corridors, even to the point of being stared at by some of those who'd believed him to be dead. There were a few he didn't recognise, but realised that the everyday running of the SGC would have continued as normal even if he hadn't been there; so he should at least expect to see at a few new faces among the other more familiar ones stationed at Cheyenne Mountain.

The door was opened by one of the SFs and Teal'c pushed him straight into the room and up to the table where a chair had been removed to accommodate the wheelchair. Jack nodded to the other members of his team, though he really wished they would have been excluded from this. He knew what he was about to say was so not what they would want to hear, but if the General had made a point of ordering them there, then there wasn't much he could do to refute the orders. He could appreciate that they too needed some sort of closure in order to understand his earlier mistrust and reluctance to hold a meaningful conversation with them. In short he was afraid of alienating them from himself. His own trust had been sorely abused and it would simply take time to get over the feeling of being betrayed, despite knowing that these people were his true friends.

"Good to see you Jack." Hammond exchanged a quick nod with Teal'c who sat beside the wheelchair in readiness should he be needed by his leader. "Are you sure you really feel up to telling us what happened in that other reality Colonel? I could hold off for another day or two if you wish," the General's voice had softened, showing Jack that he was willing to back him up despite the pressure from the President and others.

"No, sir, I'm fine. Just...let's just say that the sooner we get this over and done with the better."

Hammond nodded and okay and ordered the technician at the other desk to start recording the session.

Now that the time had arrived, Jack wasn't too sure where to begin. He could feel the deep ache run right through his body, but it wasn't from the wounds he'd sustained during his escape, but more from the remembered agony he'd gone through during those months away. He scrubbed his free hand through his hair and dragged it down over his face, summoning up his courage, because he knew without a doubt it wasn't going to be pleasant - to not only recall it - but for them to hear it too.

"Well, it all started when I was walking round my yard. I'd gotten another one of those damn headaches, and when I was a few yards from the deck I blacked out." He swiped the hand over his face again, then took a drink of water from the glass Daniel had silently pushed across the table towards him. He nodded his thanks and continued.

"I woke up in what I took to be the infirmary. It looked just the same as the one here. Doc Fraiser was there too, telling me I'd...had some sort of bleed or something, and that explained why I'd passed out. She said she had to..." He waved his hand around towards his own version, hoping she could enlighten him.

"There was no damage sir. And certainly nothing like she was insinuating. I would have picked it up straight way, besides which, you would certainly have noticed far more severe symptoms than she'd offered as an excuse." Janet felt furious with the other Fraiser, wondering why she would have said that to him, and what sort of ethical code the woman worked to.

"It wasn't you Doc. It'll all make sense later, that you can be sure of."

Janet's postured straightened and although Jack could see she was angry he carried on, ignoring the disquiet that had fallen over the group already.

"Yeah, well... whatever. She gave me some pills and told me to make sure I took them, otherwise I would suffer more headaches. I got over it, but I pound that I was actually worse off. Their version of you General, told me to take some time off. He practically ordered me to go fishing... but, with one exception... I had to take Carter with me."

TBC


	13. In For A Penny

_Ooops, sorry I kept you all waiting again. I didn't like the previous ending, so I've re-written it, hoping that it will make it better of course! Not that this is the last chapter - got at least another two to go yet!_

_Thank you all again for all those wonderful reviews. They've kept me going when I thought about giving up and just posting the old ending._

_BTW – I just learned that I'm gonna be a grandma! Not sure how I feel about that yet. I guess I worry too much about how they will cope, but I am really pleased for them; they've been trying for quite a while now._

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

"Yeah, well... whatever. She gave me some pills and told me to make sure I took them, otherwise I would suffer more headaches. I got over it, but I found that I was actually worse off. Their version of you, General, told me to take some time off. He practically ordered me to go fishing... but, with one exception... I had to take Carter with me."

Chapter 13 – In For A Penny...

For several seconds – which seemed like long minutes to Jack – there was a stunned silence in the room, and it made him feel slightly uneasy; knowing he had probably caused more than a few questions to be raised in the minds of at least two people seated round the table. He was just waiting for the proverbial bomb to go off in his lap.

And he wasn't disappointed by their reactions.

"My counterpart actually told you to take Major Carter with you?" Hammond blustered, not sure if he'd heard correctly; not sure what his other self had meant by it; and wondered if there was anything between the Colonel and the Major that he should know about, and if there was, what was he going to do about it?

"Yes sir," Jack answered smoothly, but he didn't miss the small gasp issued forth from 'his' Carter at his glib answer, which meant she certainly understood the implications.

Hammond took a moment to school his thoughts before asking that all important question.

"And did you take their Major Carter with you?"

Jack glanced around the room, seeing every emotion from concern through to shock and even eager curiosity on the faces of his team and Doc Fraiser. Though the look on General Hammond's face was more akin to disbelief with a trace of disappointment as he took in the full significance. He heaved a heavy sigh and wondered if it was too late to back down, but, even as he thought it over, he knew he couldn't – wouldn't be able to keep this to himself. His whole future depended on how this all turned out.

"Yes Sir, I did."

His eyes met Sam's across the table and he could practically feel the heat from the blush she was wearing from where he was. A whole world of tumbling emotions passed silently through their fixed gaze. Though before he could dwell too long on what might have been or hopefully may be between the two of them, his thoughts were brought back to attention by the General once more.

"Colonel, am I to assume then from that, that certain inappropriate 'actions' were allowed free reign?"

"Before I answer that sir, I would like to point out that things were very different as regards personal relationships in that world." He held up his hand to forestall the obvious questions until he'd said his piece. " I know! General, I understand what you must be thinking, but, as I said, there were little subtle differences, and up until that point I couldn't really put a finger on why I felt that things were off."

"Sir," Janet interrupted, waiting for the General to allow her to speak. At his nod she continued. "Colonel, we found these in your pocket after you were brought here for surgery, are these the tablets you were taking?"

Janet handed him a small bottle and Jack recognised it straight way. He didn't need to read the label, but he shook one out onto the table and nodded.

"Yeah, these were what your evil twin insisted I take, twice a day. She said they were supposed to help with the headaches and blackouts, but I think they made things worse."

"I'm not sure what exactly they're made from," Janet agreed, continuing. "but so far the lab says that some of the ingredients were as yet unknown, but those we do understand, would have made the situation difficult for you Colonel. In fact General," she switched her eyes towards the head of the table. "they were mostly comprised of the same substances which Martin Lloyd was given to forget he was an alien on this world. If the Colonel had continued taking them, then he most probably would have forgotten all about us and that he didn't belong to their world."

"Like I said, I thought things were a little screwy, but could get my mind round the why. Everything was pretty much the same as it is here."

"I think I know you well enough by now Jack, so tell me: Why did you just accept it? You almost never let things go."

"Didn't you hear anything the Doc was saying Daniel, I was drugged. I thought I was nuts at the time. Everyone kept telling me I had some slight brain damage and with time I would get over it. But, you're right. I did start questioning my sanity, enough to make me stop taking the pills, but I sure wasn't telling them what I was doing so. I took off; went AWOL if you like, just so's I could get shot of whatever drugs I had in my system. Then after a few weeks I knew everything there was just so wrong. Though to be honest, I had discovered that everything wasn't quite right in wonderland before that."

"What happened?"

Jack took a deep breath, trying to focus, but he was actually growing tired and he was feeling the first stages of a headache coming on. He scrubbed his hand over his face and up through his hair, glancing over at Janet to see if she'd noticed. He was hoping that she would step in a call a halt to the debriefing before his brain ceased up. He was holding out on the idea that maybe Hammond had been distracted from that little side visit to his cabin, but deep down he knew it would come back to bite him in the ass. Hammond was a lot of things but never one to ignore the possible infractions against the regulations. He'd discovered that about the man very early on in their association.

"After my return to light duties, the gate activated and a couple of Tok'ra came through. I didn't recognise either one of the guys, so I asked who they were and when had we met them. Their Carter told me they'd been there before when I was on Edora, so I thought nothing more about him. It was when I mentioned to her about it being a pity it wasn't Dad, when she looked a little sad and uncomfortable and then she 'reminded' me that he'd died from cancer the year before."

Sam couldn't help from gasping in shock this time and Jack quickly apologised. He could see she was having a hard time recalling those days, and was taken aback by his revelation.

"Sorry Carter, but that's exactly how I felt right then."

"But why sir? What did they hope to gain by doing all of this?" she asked in response to his somewhat defensive explanation.

Jack looked down at his hands knowing the time had come to reveal all. With his head still bowed, he began to reveal the truth, hoping it didn't signal the end of his career.

"You remember when I said things were different concerning the regulations...?" he looked up and caught Hammond's eyes. At the General's nod, he continued. "Well, apparently, their Carter and my counterpart had... a relationship going. I found out later from their Daniel, that they were engaged to be married." He couldn't bring himself to look over at Sam, but he knew from the muttering that was going on, that all eyes were on both of them.

Hammond called for silence.

"So when you both went to your cabin...?" he asked, half afraid of what Jack's answer would be.

Jack cleared his throat, took a few sips of water and carried on telling the tale – every single person in the room hanging onto his every word.

"Yes sir, but from my point of view, I had literally been told, by your doppelganger I might add, to go have some fun because..." He waived off Hammond's interruption, needing to say his piece first. "...because the regulations concerning fraternisation no longer existed!" Jack was almost yelling by the time he'd finished, trying to get his point of view over and above the General's outraged suspicions could be voiced.

There was an unhealthy silence in the room while those who'd listened digested the surprising disclosure. Daniel though not exactly blind to his friend's feelings for their team-mate had been more than happy to leave things to develop on their own, and eventually win out. Teal'c. like Janet who had borne witness to both Sam and Jack's reluctant admission of deep affections knew that the pair of them had never taken it any further, committed as they were to fighting the Goa'uld and saving Earth before even considering giving in to their emotions.

General Hammond on the other hand had never heard the confessions, nor had he seen any outward display of regard, except friendship between the two officers. Colonel O'Neill had already assured him that there was no reason to suspect anything untoward happening; not whilst they were under oath in serving their country. Could he have been so wrong? Was there more here than meets the eye as regards a relationship between the Colonel and the Major? Either way, he had to discover the truth of the matter.

Jack rubbed his hand over his face, leaving it there to massage his forehead. The headache had already taken hold of him, making it harder to think straight.

"General, Sir?" Janet asked making her way over to her patient, quickly taking his pulse and feeling for a temperature. "I think it would be best if we called a halt here, sir. The Colonel is showing marked signs of distress."

Hammond frowned over at the petite medic, but Janet had on her, 'I can over-ride your order if necessary General,' look, and Hammond silently acquiesced with a loud sigh.

Teal'c moved to his place behind the wheelchair and Janet stepped over to open the door, leaving the others to stare after them.

The silence in the briefing room was uncomfortable in the least, and Sam half expected her own integrity to be called into question, now that the Colonel was no longer there to supply the answers. She exchanged shy looks with her team-mate across the table before Hammond spoke up and shattered the silence.

"Dismissed people. We'll continue this tomorrow at 09:00 hours." With that, he stood and stalked back to his office.

Once the door shut behind him, Sam released a huge sigh but quickly gathered her things together and headed for the door, Daniel on her heels.

"What are you going to do Sam? So you think he will let this pass or maybe take it further? I know this can't be easy for you, but if you need to talk, you know where I am, right? And if things do go that far, then you know that both Teal'c and I will be there with you. You're not alone Sam. Not you not Jack."

Sam stopped her hurried retreat, and turned to face her friend, looking up into bright blue eyes filled with understanding and support.

"Quite honestly Daniel I don't know what will happen, but if the Colonel is made to fess up, then I will to. I'm not letting him take all the flack. This is my fault as much as his. We'll stand together if that's what it takes. Right now I need to go see if he's okay. And thanks Daniel..." she paused, her hand finding his upper arm to give him a squeeze. "It's good to know that we still have friends behind us." Tears smarted behind her eyes, and she dropped her gaze to the floor, trying to stop them from forming.

Regaining the hold over her wild and quixotic emotions, she lifted her head and smiled at her friend before leaving him standing there while she headed to the infirmary. She really needed that talk with Jack, doubting that they could ever shove the whole emotional and personal thing back into Pandora's box now the lid had been opened.

TBC


	14. The Waiting Game

_So sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long – that wasn't my intention, but RL is such a pain sometimes._

_Thank you to all of you who managed to read and review the last chapter. You know how much I love to read your thoughts and comments. There's not much more to go now. Maybe another chapter or two, that's all. _

_And a huge thanks too for the best wishes and congratulations. I guess I will eventually get used to being called a Grandma! LOL!_

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Regaining the hold over her wild and quixotic emotions, she lifted her head and smiled at her friend before leaving him standing there while she headed to the infirmary. She really needed that talk with Jack, doubting that they could ever shove the whole emotional and personal thing back into Pandora's box now the lid had been opened.

Chapter 14 – The Waiting Game

By the time Sam had reached the infirmary, Janet was coming out of the small private room. She shut the door behind her quietly and pulled Sam away with her, drawing her along towards her office.

"What's up Janet?"

"He's sleeping, and I don't want him disturbed right now. He's still having some pretty awful headaches, so I've given him something that'll help him sleep."

They reached the little office that Fraiser used, and after pouring out a coffee from her personal coffee machine, they both sat down.

It wasn't the first time Sam had been in there; she'd often gone there for a chat with her best friend over a mug of coffee, and this time was no different.

"When do you think the Colonel will be able to finish the de-briefing?" Sam asked, trying to sound normal, though Janet wasn't fooled for a minute.

"I'm not sure Sam, his temperature was up a little too, so I'd like to keep him in for another day or two. I want to make sure he isn't suffering any side effects from whatever these drugs are that they gave him."

"So, you reckon he'll be out of it for a while then?"

"I'm not sure. It all depends on how his body is coping. It's hard to tell, especially when we don't know exactly what we're dealing with," Janet sighed, looking out of her window that overlooked the line of empty beds that signalled a slow time for the infirmary staff. All of which, she knew, could change in the blink of an eye if a team suddenly came home injured.

Sam was lost in her thoughts, wondering when she would get to speak with the Colonel.

Sam felt a hand land on her arm and blinked looking up into Janet's concerned face.

"He'll be fine Sam. He just needs a little time. It sounds like he's been through a lot and you know how he is. Once he's feeling more like his old self, he'll put all that behind him and move on."

"Can he do that? Can he move on after everything that's happened? If he can, I'm not so sure I can. Janet... he...he took 'her' away and although he hasn't actually said anything, the implications were there. He thought it was me! I can't just let this go Jan. I've... well, obviously, we've wanted this for so long and I can't leave it in that room any longer, and I get the impression he doesn't want to either."

"Are you sure that's what you want Sam? You know what it will mean, don't you, as regards your careers?"

Sam's thoughts were so clearly elsewhere when she drank down the last of her coffee, then ran her finger round the lip of the empty cup. Unshed tears were smarting at the back of her eyes and on the verge of falling. When she finally looked up at her friend, Janet's heart went out to her.

"Oh Sam." Janet moved closer and pulled her into a hug as Sam finally gave in to her emotions.

For several minutes they just sat there, allowing Sam to let the tears run free. Janet knew the moment Sam had regained control when she felt her stiffen and pull away. Wordlessly, she handed over the box of tissues that were sitting on her desk.

"I have to talk to him Jan. I...I really need to know what he wants to do now that he's...had that Sam, because I want it too."

"And if he wants to put it all back into that room and forget it happened? What then?" Janet wasn't sure she enjoyed playing 'Devils Advocate' but she had to make Sam understand this wasn't just about herself. If the Colonel wanted to ignore what happened, and who could blame him, then she couldn't let Sam openly admit to something that, officially, didn't exist; thus causing more of a problem for them both, and would most probably spell the end their respected careers. Colonel O'Neill may be an irascible, irreverent and somewhat insubordinate officer on occasions, but he was also a damn fine officer too. Personally she had never come across a more loyal and trustworthy man in the whole of her life, and she didn't want to see him ruined by anyone; and that included by her friend too. He didn't deserve that. Mainly because he'd done more for this world than anyone she'd ever heard of. Every single person on this Earth owed their very existence to the selfless exploits of one Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"But I want him so bad Janet. It's got me so I can't think of anything else."

Janet smiled wryly, patting Sam's hand and putting on her thickest southern accent.

"Ya know, Momma always said there'd be days like this!"

Sam snorted, her lips curling upwards slightly which broke the tension that was hovering between them.

"I'm not going to say or do anything Janet, not without his consent. I couldn't do that to him."

"I'm glad to hear it!" Janet sighed as she rose to her feet. "Now, I think you can go and sit with him for a while, but don't wake him up. Let him rest."

Sam rose too smiling, happy to know that Janet understood her, and she'd gotten a whole load off her chest. How would she have survived if Janet hadn't been stationed here? It didn't bear thinking about.

"Thanks Janet."

"Yes well, go. I have some work to do even if you don't. SG-4 are due for their pre-mission medicals any minute."

Sam grinned and left Janet to get ready for her arrivals. The infirmary was never quiet for too long. She had a mission, and an whole load of so-far unanswered questions filling her mind and maybe they would be answered in a fairly short time.

Opening the door softly she stepped into the room, closing it quietly behind her.

Jack was still asleep, but even from there Sam could see that his face was slightly flushed and heavy lines were drawn around his eyes. He was either in pain, or was having a bad dream. Whatever it was, when he needed someone, she could only hope it was herself that would be there when he awoke. Her hand slipped through the bed rail and carefully lifted Jack's hand into hers. He stirred a little, and she couldn't help but smile widely when she felt him respond by tightening his grip. Awake or not, Sam couldn't tell, but she was heartened by the move. Sinking down onto the hard chair at his side, she took up her silent vigil, content to just watch over him for now.

OoOoOoOoO

"Hey."

The soft throaty voice brought her attention back to the present. While Jack had slept, Sam had been scrabbling around in her mind for something to actually begin that conversation with, but without trying to give way her personal thoughts and fears at the same time. How could she tell him that she had practically mourned him as if he had died? They had no way of knowing what had happened to him and she could only assume the worst. She'd retreated so far into herself that General Hammond had actually confronted her about it; worried that the wrong people would put two and two together and come up with the right answer. Of course, it had all depended on the outcome, that is - if the Colonel, Jack, were to make it back from wherever he was or not. Basically she'd already put both their careers on the line; and now he had returned, he'd confessed the very thing General Hammond was afraid of hearing. The big question now, was, what were they going to do about it?

"Hi. You need some water?" she asked with an answering smile.

Jack nodded. His throat was dry and he felt hot and achy.

Sam helped him sit up a little and handed him the glass, but seeing him struggle to hold onto it, she kept a hold on it until he was done. He lay back breathless from such a little effort, that Sam pressed the buzzer, alerting Janet because she was worried for him. Looking closer, his colour had heightened. Though concerned, she wouldn't dare ask that most hated question of all, knowing it drove him to distraction.

He'd closed his eyes, but she knew he was still awake, because his hand had located hers again and kept up a steady but gentle circles on the back of her hand as he clutched it. The sharp clicking of heels announced the arrival of the base's Chief Medical Officer.

"Colonel," Janet greeted her patient as she entered the room and walked over to him. "How are you feeling?"

Sam mentally held her breath, waiting for the Colonel to grumble, but the expected complaint never materialised. Janet was busy taking his temperature and Sam couldn't help but grin as the Colonel sat there glaring up at the doctor unable to answer due to the presence of a thermometer now resting between his lips.

She'd always believed that Janet would know what to expect from the Colonel when he was a patient, and this only proved that theory, by pushing the glass tube into his mouth before he could complain, while she checked over his pulse in silence. She could have used the more modern method, but this way, at least he couldn't talk back to her.

Finally after an uncomfortable silence, Janet removed the offending thermometer which was immediately followed by a stream of croaky complaints, which Janet completely ignored.

"Your temperature's up higher than I'd expected Colonel, so I'm going to recommend we try a higher dose of the antibiotics to fight this." Janet turned to her friend. "Sam, could you give me a hand in sitting the Colonel up? I need to listen to his chest."

Sam nodded, and slipping her arm under Jack's, and the other one behind him in synchronisation with Janet, they managed to pull him forward accompanied by only a few moans and groans. Jack wheezed a little louder and Janet quickly lifted the pale green scrubs to settle the stethoscope on his back. Once done, Sam helped her to lay him back again, handing his the glass of water again when he struggled through a coughing fit.

"Janet?" Sam was more concerned now, wondering what was going on. Surely he hadn't been exposed to an infection, being confined as he'd been lately.

Jack too had raised a curious eyebrow as he waited for her diagnosis too.

"You have a slight chest infection sir. It's nothing to worry about, and with the increase in medication it should clear up soon enough."

"But what about the de-briefing? General Hammond had called it for just over an hours time." Sam asked, hoping that perhaps Janet would see fit to delay the meeting until the Colonel was feeling better at least. They couldn't expect to drag him all the way there and sit through yet another gruelling session in his condition. To her mind he didn't look at all well.

"I'll call him and tell him that he will have to postpone it for at least a couple of days, Colonel. What I need is for you to rest as much as possible. You also need to eat too, just to get your strength up. Are you in pain at all? Does you head hurt still?"

Jack shrugged, looking thoroughly miserable. He sniffed a little before answering.

"A little headache but it's nothing. Chest hurts but I guess that's due to the infection right?"

"Yes sir. I'll get some breakfast sent along to you. And Sam," Janet pinned her dark gaze onto her friend. "I want you to get some rest too. You've been here far too long."

Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Janet held her off.

"Sam. That's an order. You can talk for a while, perhaps until the Colonel's finished his meal, then I want you to go to bed in your quarters. Understood?"

Sam blushed a little and nodded with a deep sigh. Yes she was tired. Very tired in fact but she so wanted the chance to talk with the Colonel. She just hadn't expected him to sleep for so long is all.

"Fine. Okay. I'll rest, but please keep me posted, yes?"

"I will."

Janet ran her eyes over the monitors attached to the Colonel once more and left them to talk, hoping that Sam knew what she was doing, because she really didn't want to have to pick up the pieces if there was a major fallout from her actions.

TBC

_I would like to thank whoever was responsible for the nominations I've received for 'This Old Man' and for 'Past, Present & Future' for putting them forward in the Stargate FanFiction Awards 2007. I really don't know what to say, except thank you. Your support is much appreciated, and comes after a very tough year for me. It has certainly given me a huge boost to know that even though I may not have been at my best, someone or some people out there have enjoyed those fics that much. Thank you!_


	15. Mounting Fustration

_I am really so very sorry to keep you all hanging on for so long. RL is throwing all sorts of problems at me right now, including writer's block which isn't helping matters. This is the first time I've felt able to continue with this for ages, so I hope you haven't forgotten about the previous chapters; believe me I know how it feels to be without an update on a favourite story for a long while. I've been on the receiving end too! LOL!_

_Anyway, thank you all for your patience and especially to those of you who have sent messages and/or reviews. Hope you like this chapter too, and that it was worth the wait._

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Janet ran her eyes over the monitors attached to the Colonel once more and left them to talk, hoping that Sam knew what she was doing, because she really didn't want to have to pick up the pieces if there was a major fallout from her actions.

Chapter 15 – Mounting Frustration

When Sam turned back to face the Colonel, she found him studying her with a frown marring his face. Sam felt herself blush even further which she knew was ridiculous when she'd worked alongside the man for over four years now. Maybe it was because his dark eyes always seemed to be able to read her so well; sometimes it was almost as if he could read her mind just by looking at her. And that thought didn't help in the least, her face reddening further, given the thoughts she'd been having just lately.

"You look about as tired as I feel, Carter." Jack hadn't missed her guilty posture or the blushes that accompanied it. "You should do what Doc says. Go. Get some rest."

Sam cleared her throat, and steeled her confidence.

"Yes sir. And I will, soon enough. I wanted to make sure you were okay before I took off."

"I'm fine," he replied with a roll of his eyes. "So, just how long have you been sitting in that not so comfortable chair waiting for me wake up?"

Jack raised an eyebrow when he saw the pink cheeks brighten again, and knew he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Ah...em..."

"Carter!" he warned, with just a little menace behind her name. Not that it sounded at all threatening, coming as it did from a sore throat; which actually made him cringe when most of the word came out as nothing more than a raspy croak. Thankfully though, he could see just how well she'd understood his unspoken warning.

Sam looked slightly stricken and quickly dropped her eyes from his scrutiny.

"Sam. How long?"

Sam's head shot up in reaction to her given name coming from his lips. He so rarely called her that, and spoken as softly as he had just now in an almost whisper, she knew she couldn't fob him off with any carefully worded excuse. Coughing to clear her throat again, she reluctantly replied.

"Um...Almost since the de-briefing, sir."

His eyebrow raised even higher on hearing the honest answer. He glanced up at the clock and did a quick calculation in his head. Turning to look at her, he saw she was chewing her lip nervously as if expecting him to bawl her out. Instead he simply shook his head in defeat, but ended up coughing.

Once the paroxysm had passed, he waived away any help from her or the nurse who'd come in answer to the screeching monitor. He took a few sips of water while the nurse reset the alarm and would have to wait until she'd retreated before continuing from where he'd left off.

All the time the nurse was in the room, Sam had chewed harder on her lip, practically splitting the skin; but just as Jack was about to give her some sort of sarcastic reproof, she was saved any further humiliation by the timely arrival of said Colonel's meal, brought in by Daniel of all people. Sam didn't know whether to hug Janet for Daniel's – for once - timely intrusion into what was becoming uncomfortable territory or strangle her for putting yet another obstacle in her way, thus ending any chance of that much needed chat.

Daniel was all bright and breezy, and right from the word go, he and the Colonel were into their usual bantering, despite how bad the officer had been feeling. Sam felt rather superfluous to the easy camaraderie now going on as Daniel made himself at home on the other side of the bed and began to make cryptic comments about the food on the Colonel's breakfast tray. He was trying to reach the cup of coffee now sitting on the table, saying it was his and he'd only added it to the tray so that he could use both hands to carry to the room, while Jack was keeping it out of his reach, claiming it as his.

Sam shook her head at their antics and decided to give up after all. She could always come back, after she'd found out from Janet when exactly the General had planned on holding the revised de-briefing.

"Well, now that Daniel is keeping you company sir, I'm...gonna...go. I'll see you later Colonel."

Jack looked up, feeling rather disappointed in a way that Daniel had effectively pushed Sam from the room. He wouldn't say anything to stop her going though, however reluctant he'd felt, because she really needed to get some rest.

"Okay Carter. I'll catch ya later." He croaked, giving her a little wave and a smile, which Sam returned as she ducked out of the door. She would catch a word or two with Janet then take off to her quarters, not wanting to go home in case she was needed...or wanted by a certain person who happened to be stuck in the infirmary right now.

Jack eyed the oatmeal with less enthusiasm than he'd expected. He'd been looking forward to getting some food inside him, but now he wasn't so sure it was such a good idea. His appetite had just, up and left him – along with a certain blonde Major. He had nothing against Daniel, the man was his best friend, but he just couldn't view them in the same light.

He'd tuned out the younger man and it wasn't until Daniel touched his arm and peered into his face wearing concern on his features that Jack managed to pull himself together, hard as it was, given the way he was feeling.

"Huh?"

"I was saying that General Hammond has arranged for the other me...er... the other Daniel – the one that came through with you - to be...ah, buried off-world. We all felt it wouldn't do for certain people's suspicions to be aroused and perhaps...well, you know, get too nosey and start prying into things."

"Thanks. That's good. Though, I would like to be there whenever..." Jack shrugged, knowing Daniel probably would understand more than any of the others could about why that was so. "He literally saved my ass, gave his own life so that I could get back to where I belonged. For that alone the man deserves a decent burial."

"Actually," Daniel paused, feeling a little strange to be talking about burying - what in some respects was - himself. "I suggested it should be on Abydos."

Jack chewed on his lip for a while, turning over in his mind, then finally smiled, nodding.

"That's good. Yeah, I think he'd like that, Daniel. You sure you're okay with that?"

"Uh...yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Kasuf is actually okay with it too, though I guess it must seem weird from his point of view. I took a short trip over there while you were out of it, to ask if it was okay with him."

"Thanks. I know it must feel a little weird to you too, but... thanks."

Daniel merely shrugged and picked up the abandoned coffee, though Jack didn't object at all now, lost in his own thoughts as he was. Watching his friend closely, Daniel stayed quiet, leaving Jack to sort through things in his mind. He looked tired, despite the fact that he'd slept for hours.

At long last, Daniel picked up the spoon and placed it into Jack's hand, earning himself a startled look from the darker eyes which had been filled with such sadness.

"Eat Jack! Janet says you need to get your strength up, especially if you want to go to Abydos."

Jack looked down at the spoon and then the bowl and heaved a huge sigh. He nodded and then started to eat what had to be cold oatmeal by now, though Jack would swear he couldn't taste any of it. Before long the bowl was empty, and Daniel had the satisfaction of knowing he had helped in some small way. He chatted away softly, relating to Jack all the usual gossip that was currently the pet topic of conversation underneath the mountain, and all the time his smile grew as he observed Jack falling asleep once more.

OoOoOoOoO

"Colonel!" Hammond greeted Jack as he entered the infirmary the next day. "Good to know you're feeling a little better, Jack. I thought it might be easier if we continued the debriefing here, rather than drag you away from your sick bed."

Jack's smile was rather forced and appeared to be more of a grimace, but fortunately Hammond missed it when he turned to watch as Daniel, Sam and Teal'c magically appeared from the hallway and took up positions on the either side of Jack's bed. Apparently they all wanted to hear the rest of his amazing story.

"Guess it's time to spill the beans then, huh?" Jack joked, trying to get himself more comfortable by sitting up a little higher and leaning back into the pillows behind him with only a slight groan of pain and a small cough.

Janet had also joined in with the elite crowd around his bed, ostensibly to keep an eye on her patient, but she wasn't fooling anyone, especially Jack. He knew she was just as curious about what had gone on in that other world as were the others.

"Take your time son. Whenever you're ready." Hammond took the empty seat, bringing it closer to the bed to sit down on, getting himself comfortable. The others would have to stand.

"It's okay..." Jack sighed softly, reluctantly launching once more into the actions that had befallen him in that alternate reality. Trying as hard as he could to recall everything, yet nothing too specific, even though some of the events were, naturally, still hazy to him.

"...After I returned to their SGC, their version of you had me arrested and locked up in a holding cell while they decided what to do with me. I didn't know what they had planned for me. At least, not until you visited me and explained what was going to happen."

"And what was it that they had decided on Colonel?" Hammond asked, clearly wondering what they had in mind.

Jack sighed, coughed, and took a few sips of water. Clearing his throat, he continued.

"Because, seeing as I was such a pain in the ass...," There was a ripple of amusement at this, and Hammond raised an eyebrow at the interruption, despite having agreed with them on that part. "...they would break out the big needles, and I was to be implanted with a device which did the same thing as... well, whatever that stuff was in the tablets, only more powerful. It was supposed to make me forget everything except what they wanted from me. Which was to lead their equivalent of SG-1 and to stay there believing I was their Jack O'Neill."

There were a couple of gasps of surprise and shock, but Jack ignored them.

"Of course, in no uncertain terms, I essentially told them where to shove their device. There was no way I was going to let them do that to me. In fact I told the other you exactly that," Jack said, pointing to the General. "And that I would rather die than stay there like that. My friends and my life were right here, and I wanted to come back to my own reality. I did use the words, over my dead body, and their version of you said it could very well happen if I put up any resistance."

"They would have actually killed you if you'd refused the drugs or the implantation of that device?" Janet couldn't help herself from asking. She half wished she could go over there and strangle her evil twin for taking part in such an atrocious scam.

"Yeah, but I think the word he used was, 'exterminate'." Jack sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He felt a cool hand reach for his wrist and turned it slightly, knowing it would have been the Doc., taking his pulse. He took full advantage of the brief respite, keeping his eyes shut to the outside world. He could hear them all muttering amongst themselves but didn't react; his mind playing over the images that were forever burned into his memory now. Memories of Hammond's grim features as he'd threatened him. He'd seen this General Hammond in a disgruntled mood, even angry and disappointed in him, but never had he seen that evil glint in his eyes before, and hoped to god that he never would. Not that he believed this George could ever be like his counterpart. He'd take this life over that one hands down.

"Sir?"

Janet's voice roused him, and he blinked away the fog that had enshrouded his mind, realising he must have dozed for a moment or two. It couldn't have been for long, everyone was still there waiting for him to carry on. Accepting another sip of water from Janet, he nodded and resumed his report.

TBC


	16. Thoughts and Feelings

_Thank you for your comments, reviews and welcome back. It's so good to be doing this again. It was so frustrating wanting to write when I couldn't put two words down on paper in order to make any sense at all. So a big thanks to you all. Hope you like this chapter, and yes, I'm almost finished on the next and final chapter of this story._

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Janet's voice roused him, and he blinked away the fog that had enshrouded his mind, realising he must have dozed for a moment or two. It couldn't have been for long, everyone was still there waiting for him to carry on. Accepting another sip of water from Janet, he nodded and resumed his report.

Chapter 16 – Thoughts and Feelings

Jack carefully wound down the story, avoiding any references to what had passed between himself and the other version of Sam Carter, and finishing up with explaining how their Daniel helped in getting him home. He didn't want to dwell on the part of that Daniel dying in his arms. He didn't think that his friend in this reality would be able to handle it that well. Even now he was finding it hard to shake those memories from his mind when he could see his friend standing there in the flesh listening to him talk about his counterpart. It just felt weird and a little creepy.

Jack felt drained and tired. His throat hurt from all the talking he'd done and now his chest was sore; made so from the frequent bouts of coughing he'd endured, and how it had pulled on the original wound he'd sustained during his escape. He closed his eyes briefly and tried to will the pain away. It was several minutes afterwards that he felt it. The gentle weight of a cool hand as it touched his arm bringing his awareness back with a jolt. Opening his eyes he only saw Janet as she took his wrist; her brow furrowed in concentration and concern.

After a moment her eyes flicked up to meet with his and she sent him a grim smile. His own concern grew now.

"What is it?" he rasped breathlessly.

"Your temperature isn't going down as quickly as I'd hoped and now your pulse is a little too fast. I'm going to give you something to make you rest for the next 24 hours, as well as giving you a even stronger anti-biotic. How are you feeling, Colonel?"

"I've been better."

"I don't doubt that, sir, but on a scale of 1 to 10?"

He thought it over for a moment, running it through his mind and calculating how he was functioning, or not as the case may be.

"About an eight."

Janet's eyes nearly popped out of her head. An eight? For the Colonel to admit that he was hurting that much, then she knew without a doubt that it would register as more than a twelve of anyone else's scale. She decided that perhaps she would hook him up to a monitor just to keep an eye on him during the next 24 hours, protest or not, she couldn't afford to let him suffer like this much longer. He was more likely to accept the illness as nothing special when she knew better than anyone what damage could be caused if his temperature was to spike during the night.

"Okay, then I want to have you monitored all night Colonel. I'll be back in a short while with more equipment, and before you waste your breath sir, this is not optional!"

Jack could only sigh with reluctant acceptance of her orders. He trusted this Doc Fraiser with his life practically on a daily basis. Not necessarily for his own continued health, but those of his team and everyone on the base. She was good at her job, and they weren't just nameless faces to her. He knew that she actually cared about each and every one of her patients, and couldn't fault her in her approach. He nodded for her to go ahead, knowing it was for his benefit and her own peace of mind, as well as his, because he knew deep inside that she was nothing like her counterpart. If he had been back there, then things would have been very different now.

It didn't take long for her to return and with more patience than she was used to coming from him especially, she set about attaching the leads to his body. His quiet submission to her ministrations had her more worried than she cared to admit, and could only hope that he would feel better in a few days time. By now he had closed his eyes, shutting the world out, and with a few soft spoken words, she encouraged him to get some sleep.

Frowning down at his flushed face, she knew that all in all, she would much prefer to have a grumbling, complaining Colonel in her care rather than this quiet and acquiescent one which she found rather unnerving.

Once outside the door, she turned to see Sam standing by her office waiting for her. Once Janet had reached there, she ushered in her friend.

"How is he Janet?" Sam could hardly contain herself, particularly when she saw all the monitors and fresh supplies heading into his room. For a moment she could only think the worst; that the Colonel had deteriorated after the de-briefing. Hence her presence in Janet's room now.

Janet slumped into her chair, releasing a huge sigh as she did so.

"He's not so good Sam, but then, he's not in any real danger either. I just think perhaps it was recalling all those memories which was obviously hard for him. Not forgetting that he still has a lot of recovering to do from his wounds and on top of that, this feverish chesty cough. I'm just being a little more on the cautious side."

"So he's going to be okay?"

"Physically, yeah, but it may be a while yet. That's not what's worrying me though," she blew out a noisy protracted breath, her shoulders slumping even further.

"Then what's really wrong?" Sam couldn't quite keep the panic from leaking into her voice at this news. For Janet to be this worried about the Colonel, it had to be bad, although at this point she couldn't figure out exactly what that could be.

Janet sat forward, resting her long slim hand on Sam's wrist and giving it a light squeeze to reassure her.

"It's his mental state Sam, that's got me concerned. He's just so quiet. It's not like him at all. You know as well as anyone here in the infirmary that Jack O'Neill can be the bane of my nurses lives when he's in here; but right now... Well, he hasn't really objected to anything I've had to do for him lately. It's just not right. A sick Colonel O'Neill and acquiescence just don't belong in the same sentence; it just doesn't fit together; it's not normal."

Sam apparently had more faith in the Colonel's ability to pull through anything that was thrown at him, was obviously more profound than Janet's. She knew from experience that he could get past this without missing a beat. He'd always done it before and she didn't think that this time would prove any different to his usual methods in gaining a quick recovery.

"I think you're worrying over nothing Janet. The Colonel's always managed to get over these hang-ups. He'll bounce back right as rain in a week or so. Personally, I think it's you that needs to rest. You look terrible Jan, you should get some serious sleep. And soon!"

Janet waved her away, struggling to get to her feet to pour herself and Sam a cup of coffee from the coffee machine on the table she'd set aside for her current files. Her eyes drifted down to the huge folder that contained the medical notes of the Colonel. She really should enter the latest details before she took herself off to sleep.

"Janet. Please. Go get some rest. I'll talk to the guys, we can all keep an eye on the Colonel through the night. The last thing the Colonel needs is for you to get sick too. It's pretty quiet in there tonight. Make the most of it while you can. Cassie's staying over with Emma tonight isn't she?"

Janet nodded releasing another long sigh. She looked at the coffee, still untouched, in her mug and then with a flourish, tossed it down the sink. If she was to get some sleep she certainly didn't need the caffeine to keep her awake.

"You're right. I am tired. You go talk with Teal'c and Daniel. I'm gonna finish up here and stretch out on the cot in the corner. Shelly's on night duty tonight, so go to her first. She'll know if it's bad enough to fetch me. Goodnight Sam, and thanks."

Sam smiled widely and went on her way. Janet was a good friend to them all, as well as a 'Mother Hen' when they were ill, but there were times she needed someone to turn the tables on her. If she didn't do it, who would? As the Colonel said once, when asked... "No way...she'd just get out those huge, honkin' great needles the next time I need a med exam. I am so not a masochist, Carter." He'd insisted backing away. Daniel and Teal'c had felt the same way too. Sam smiled at the memory as she made her way to Daniel's office first. Even this late in the day, she knew he'd be working there; not wanting to be too far away from the Colonel at this point.

OoOoOoOoO

It was still quite early in the morning and the whole base seemed unusually quiet as General Hammond stalked the corridors of the SGC. He was certainly doing a lot of thinking over the past few days since he'd heard the Colonel's report on what had befallen him during those missing days. There was no denying the fact that Jack had been sorely missed, and not just by his team. He had to admit that despite Jack being a bit of a Maverick at times, the man was totally committed to the Stargate programme. Over the few years of leading SG-1, Jack had encountered many problems along the way and had managed to not only pull his team out of the fire, but also save the world from total destruction on a scale unimaginable to anyone in ignorance of Earth's biggest secret.

There had been times when he'd cheerfully wanted nothing more than to throttle the man, but somehow, his quirky nature and quick sense of the ridiculous had endeared himself into the hearts and minds of those who served at the mountain, and yes, even himself if he cared to admit it. Personally he wouldn't, couldn't, ask for a more loyal and trustworthy second in command than Jack O'Neill. Despite his laid back approach and pretence of ignorance, Jack was as sharp as a knife and didn't let anything pass by his radar unnoticed. He had yet to find someone who could put one over on the Colonel.

Hammond nodded to the odd passing airman that happened by, but his thoughts were still on his young friend. Friend yes, because, Jack was in actually fact a real friend, and he'd proved that time and time again. He just wished that there was something he could do to repay him. Jack had coped with so much tragedy in his life that if he could do something to pay back the kindness and loyalty he'd lavished on him, then he would do it in a heartbeat.

He'd been a little taken aback that Jack had admitted that he and the other Major Carter had been together; shocked actually, but now he'd thought it over privately, he realised that supposing Jack had any romantic feelings towards Sam, he had never acted on those emotions; and neither had Sam as far as he could tell. Both of them had behaved as expected of officers in the USAF. Their records were quite exemplary, even considering the few times he'd actually had to reprimand Jack; though to be fair, most of the times had been minor incidents.

By now the wandering General had found himself outside the infirmary, so decided to pop his head round the door to see how Jack was doing. Approaching the door softly, not wishing to awaken the man if he was sleeping, Hammond paused; his hand on the doorknob, opening it slightly but he could hear soft voices coming from inside, so he stopped for a moment to listen, thinking it must have been Doctor Fraiser checking up on Jack.

OoOoOoOoO

Sam wrung the cloth out and laid it gently over the heated brow. To her mind, the Colonel didn't feel anywhere near as hot as he had when she'd first arrived for her stint as nursemaid. Drying her own hands on a paper towel from the nearby sink, she was surprised when she realised she was being observed, and discovered that the Colonel was silently watching her every move. She smiled tentatively, wondering if he was really awake or not. He gave her a small quirk of the lips before swallowing with difficulty.

"Here you are sir." Sam offered him some of the ice chips Janet had delivered to the room for when Jack woke up feeling thirsty. Ice chips were easier to take rather than water when one was sick like the Colonel.

Jack accepted them, and relished the coolness as they melted in his mouth. Swallowing he nodded his thanks, and Sam sat down on the hard plastic chair, the bane of all infirmary visitors to continue her vigil.

"So, feeling better sir?" Sam began, wondering what to say. In all honesty she was finding his steadfast gaze on her rather unsettling, making her feel unsure of herself.

Jack blinked and sighed, seeming to realise what he was doing.

"Sorry Carter. For a minute there, I thought I was back in that other infirmary."

"Really? What made you realise you weren't, Colonel?" she asked, all agog to learn something that maybe hadn't been in the Colonel's report.

"You called me 'Sir'."

"Ah, and she...er, the other me, didn't?" Sam wondered what it must have been like to be able to call him Jack all the time. Not that she would do so under the circumstances they worked in. Again, she could only wish things were different here; and for a moment she actually envied her counterpart for being able to call him by his given name.

Jack snorted but ended up coughing so Sam fed him some more of the ice chips.

"Yeah, weird huh?" Jack sighed. If only! What he wouldn't do to have her call his name instead of Sir or Colonel for a change.

"Yeah!" Sam agreed. If only! "So, they had their own SG-1?" she asked. She'd leaned that from the report, but finding something to say was harder than she'd thought it would be. The Colonel was still giving her a lot of deep scrutiny; and she couldn't help but wonder why.

"Ah, yeah. There was. And the SGC; General Hammond etc., everything was just the same; well, sort of, but with one big exception. Their version of me wasn't there."

"No?"

"Apparently I was dead. The other 'me' was dead, I should say. That was the whole damn point of the exercise Carter."

TBC


	17. Promises of Things to Come

_Well folks, this is it – the end of this story. I'd like to thank you all for your patience and understanding in waiting for me to get this far. I'm going to spend a little time now on my new fic which is under my other pen-name. Once I've finished with the current one on there, that is. I hope to update that one soon too. The one after that will be the big one... my 100__th__ story for Stargate SG-1._

_In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this last chapter._

**Crazy Mixed Up World.**

by Lingren.

_Previously:-_

"Apparently I was dead. The other 'me' was dead, I should say. That was the whole damn point of the exercise Carter."

Chapter 17 – Promises of Things to Come.

"Sir?" Sam looked confused, so Jack decided to just come out with it. No more beating about the bush; it was just giving them both a hang up. "The point being that they really wanted another Jack O'Neill, so they decided to go out and find one. And guess who they found? Yeah, lucky me."

"But, why?" she puzzled, still not understanding the logical reasoning behind any of it.

"So they could go fill a huge gap in their universe, Carter. Apparently the other you; their version of you, missed me too much and so they all – well, except their Daniel that is - hatched this little plot to replace their dead 'Colonel' with another. Using their 'superior' technology to kidnap another O'Neill who, unfortunately, turned out to be me."

"Holy Hannah! I missed...or rather... 'she' missed you that much?" Sam gulped, her eyes widening at the implications that idea opened up in her mind.

Jack hesitated a little before he plucked up his courage. He had to keep reminding himself that this was 'his' Sam Carter, and not that other one.

"Yeah, apparently they were... 'together' - as in...engaged."

"Oh!" she grimaced. "Wow." More realities with the same Jack and Sam combination, she mused silently.

Jack studied her face, looking for anything that would reveal her innermost feelings, but apart from embarrassment and a renewal of the former awkwardness there was nothing to indicate anything deeper. Not even a hint at what she thought about that idea. He sighed in disappointment; he was hoping to see so much more by way of a reaction from her.

"Apparently your 'twin' was more than happy to string me along in her little drama, until I realised the truth."

"What?" Sam's face blanched in shocked surprise.

"I've already mentioned that they drugged me into believing I was back home and everything was normal. That any memories of my past life were just treated as... 'delusions of a sick mind', I think is how their Doc Fraiser put it."

"Wow. So you were like...ah...together, and actually engaged to her?" Sam couldn't get that image out of her mind, wishing in some way that it was like that here.

Jack wondered how she would take what he was about to say, but it would probably be in his official report for her to read anyway. Where it would leave them afterwards was anybody's guess.

"Not that it was really my choice at the time, Carter. But in all senses of the word...yes we were together."

"Holy Hannah!" she exclaimed again, wondering if that meant that he'd... that they'd... um...been together, as in... 'sleeping' in the same bed too. "Really? You...you'd actually…" Sam broke off when her voice gave out, suddenly feeling hot and bothered. This was the stuff her dreams were made of, and yet... regrettably he'd been with yet another Sam...just not her.

"Yeah," he admitted feeling guilty and absolutely appalled by the whole idea of what he'd allowed to happen. He felt like he had betrayed her trust and that was something he believed he could, nor would, never do.

"How could I...em...'she' do that? God...how sick is that? I can't imagine doing anything that horrible," she responded with feeling. How could 'she' put him through that? She wondered. "It was an inexcusably evil thing to do to anyone."

Jack sighed again, wiping his hand over his face, trying to shake off the vivid and tainted memories.

"She wasn't really evil Carter. There wasn't anything malicious about her. She was just...she'd been so... well, deeply in love I guess, and absolutely desperate after losing her fiancé."

"You loved her?" Sam asked, trying not to choke over her words. She studied him closely and could see the lines of pain crease his brow, his face draining of colour before he spoke up.

"In a way I did, yeah" he confessed quietly, watching Sam's face closely. He was satisfied he'd hit the mark when it looked like she'd swallowed a lemon. "...but I didn't know she wasn't you at that point. It was only later on that I realised I was so totally in the wrong place."

Sam swallowed harshly, a small sob escaping from her lips. She fought hard to stop herself from letting the tears fall.

"You...you really thought it was me?" she asked in a small voice. He would have done that? Lived with that woman thinking all the time that it was her?

"At first. But then, I knew I was with the wrong Samantha Carter."

Jack took her smaller hand in his and squeezed it, but she still looked stricken.

"Hey, Sam. I'm sorry... I really, really thought it was you at the time. I was so damn glad to get things out into the open and not hide how I felt about you. I'm sorry it wasn't like the real deal."

"Sooo, what…?" Sam couldn't finish her question. How could she ask him if he really loved her enough to... what? How could she ask him to give all this up? He would never ask her to do that, that was for sure.

"I honestly had no idea of what was going on. To my mind I was loving...you!"

"You actually love me like that?" she gasped, trying to keep a lid on her mounting excitement, by chewing on her lip. "Really?"

"You know I do Sam. And if the regulations didn't get in the way I'd..."

"Jack, please, don't," she interrupted, her voice breaking along with her heart. She'd wanted this so much, but she knew it could never happen; not just yet anyway. "I love you too, I really do, but we can't do this. I can't..." she broke off, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes, and she was growing more and more frustrated with the USAF rules on fraternisation. She didn't want to give up her career, and she wouldn't ask him to consider it either. Things would have to stay as they were, hidden, just as it was when they'd agreed to keep it locked away in that room. "It's...it has to be enough that I know you care that much. Thank you."

Jack sighed. He would give up just about everything for her, but he knew she wouldn't want that, and in the end he'd probably resent her for having done that to him. Having now tasted the forbidden fruit, he would really love to have more, but he also knew he couldn't do that to her. He would just have to cram all the love he'd felt back into that box marked - not to be opened until later – the one that he kept buried deep inside his heart. It wasn't going to be easy. There would always be moments of grief for both of them when they wanted more than just friendship between them; when they needed comfort and reassurance, but wouldn't be allowed to act on their feelings.

"I'll always be here for you Sam. Always."

"I know. Thank you. You too."

"I'll be waiting for you until you think the time is right. Then I promise I'll make it up to you forever afterwards," he whispered with a warm smile.

He was tired. He'd been awake for quite a while, and at this point in his recovery, sleep had a habit of creeping up on him when he least expected it, and he could feel himself slipping away.

"Rest Jack. I'll be here. Always. I love you."

He drifted off on a wave of euphoria with her words echoing in his mind to fill his dreams; and with the feeling of her lips when she pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek as he fell asleep.

OoOoOoOoO

Hammond closed the door softly, finally understanding the pain he'd seen in Jack's eyes. It wasn't from his injuries, it was because of his devotion to Sam Carter and his inability to put aside those feelings now that the proverbial cat was out of the bag. The General wasn't stupid, he'd often heard the whispered rumours that flew about the SGC grapevine on occasions. He'd seen how close they all were, but he'd refused to believe that two of his best officers had broken any of the regulations that were in place; they were too loyal for such behaviour; and now he knew the true depth of those rumours. They had indeed kept to those rules, and would do so in the future even to their own hardships and pain, putting the Air Force first at all times, before their personal needs. Surely, such commitment and dedication to duty should warrant some type of acknowledgement or recompense?

He also knew they didn't deserve to wait indefinitely for that far off day to come. With the high risk of their missions, he knew that one day it might never happen. Something would happen that Jack wouldn't be able to get them home safe, perhaps not even making it home himself, and he could only pray that it wouldn't happen to them of all people.

With those thoughts running through his head, he could only hope that perhaps he could do something to remedy their situation. He had some serious thinking to do and then he had several phone calls to make; maybe having to go to Washington to plead his case. One thing was for certain though; he would do everything within his power to make things easier for the couple. Heck, if they have done anything for this world, like saving everyone's sorry asses, then it was about time the powers that be did something for them in return.

Armed with a new determination, he would see this through to the end, even if it meant giving up his own command and taking retirement because of it, then by god, it would be well worth it.

The End

_Thank you all for seeing this to the end, and I hope you've been happy with the way things turned out. I may have changed a few things from the original, but I haven't really changed the story or the ending. Hugz to all who reviewed! Thanks!_


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